United Way is committed to fighting for the health, education, and economic mobility of every person in every community. That’s our stated mission. It is very difficult to imagine supporting this mission and at the same time turning a blind eye to human trafficking. On so many levels, human trafficking flies right in the face of every aspect of this mission, in fact. For example, we know from research that the vast majority of health outcomes are a function of social determinants. Much more than doctors, surgeries, or medications, it’s exposure to nurturing and supportive environments which shape later physical and behavioral health. Research has clearly proven that high rates of anxiety, depression, suicide, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and drug addiction can be traced back to traumatic experiences, in particular those experience in younger life. Think of this in light of the fact that 1 in 4 trafficking victims are children. It is hard to imagine anything more traumatic than being trafficked – i.e. being a slave – for sex or labor. Furthermore, we believe that education is the “great equalizer” in society. In too many instances, especially with young people, human trafficking results in being pulled out of school and not graduating from high school. This, in turn, dramatically effects our third focus area, which is economic mobility. A person without an adequate education in our society has virtually no chance of breaking out of poverty.
It's easy to see how human trafficking can effect a person’s health outcomes, their financial stability, and their educational attainment. Even if the population of those who are trafficked in our community is relatively small, for those people who are victims of this terrible crime, the consequences can be so dire that they become an overall drain on the systems limited resources. So, not only is the individual victim effected, but also the overall population is effected as resources become scarcer for addressing needs. Therefore, for United Way, fighting human trafficking isn’t just a moral imperative. Of course, it is the right thing to do. But it is also important since the effects can be so dire, and the data proves this out, especially with research around Adverse Childhood Experiences. We encourage all to stand up with us and be vigilant when it comes to human trafficking. Learn the signs. Be careful not to be an economic enabler. And fight for new policies and effective strategies.
As an international organization with a very local focus, United Way recognizes the following strategies for fighting against human trafficking and modern day slavery:
Five Ways You Can Combat Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery
1. Learn about the red flags (or indicators) of potential human trafficking, and how best to help. Check out these resources from the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.
2. Raise awareness about human trafficking and encourage your networks to get involved on social media. Use hashtag #endslavery and #LIVEUNITED.
3. Volunteer or get involved with a local anti-trafficking organization in your area.
4. Learn about how your consumer habits may be connected to modern slavery. Whether it's the clothes we wear or the phones we use, products we use daily might be produced with forced or trafficked labor. Use this tool to learn more.
5. Get involved with United Way's Center on Human Trafficking & Slavery.
Respectfully submitted,
Mike Apfelberg, United Way of Greater Nashua