The Women's Fund of Miami-Dade Impact Collaborative: "Human Targets: Trends in Trafficking Recruitment"

Description

Join your Women’s Fund for an enlightening virtual event, anchored in our Freedom From Violence Pillar. As we delve into the complexities of human trafficking, it’s imperative to understand the evolving landscape where traffickers exploit technology to carry out their heinous activities.
Panelists: Brenda Mezick Human Trafficking Director State Attorneys Office Miami, Shalyn Fluharty Executive Director Americans for Immigrant Justice, Dr. Beatriz Susana Uitts Founder of Human Trafficking Front Author of Sex Trafficking of Children Online: Modern Slavery in Cyberspace and Special Agent Kimberly Jennette Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Squad.
In our discussion, we will shed light on the disturbing trend of traffickers leveraging social media, online platforms, and emerging technologies to identify and exploit victims. Social media, once a tool for connectivity, has become a breeding ground for traffickers who create deceptive profiles to groom and lure potential victims into exploitative situations.
Compelling data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline indicates that technology, particularly social media is a common venue, as traffickers use these platforms to gain insight into a person’s life. In 2020, the hotline identified a 125% increase in recruitment reports through Facebook and 95% through Instagram.
We will be joined by experts in the field who will provide insights into the latest developments and discuss collaborative efforts to combat human trafficking in the digital age.