By Leila Joy Castillo
What Should I Know About Human Trafficking in Wisconsin?
In 2023, the National Human Trafficking Hotline received over 30,000 signals, and 256 of these signals were from Wisconsin. Furthermore, 72 of Wisconsin’s signals were directly from victims or survivors of human trafficking.
The term “signal” is used by the National Human Trafficking Hotline to describe any form of communication received by the hotline, whether it’s a phone call, email or a submission through their website.
In Shared Hope International’s 2023 Report on U.S. legislative efforts for child and youth sex trafficking, Wisconsin received an “F” grade (49 out of 100) primarily due to a lack of Safe Harbor laws that would ensure trafficking survivors are treated as trauma victims rather than as criminals.
The report indicates that more than half the states in the United States received low grades. Yet The Badger Herald comments that such scores act as a call to action, identifying gaps in legislation and hopefully encouraging lawmakers to institute stronger regulations.
Ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin’s awareness is growing: in January, the Brown County Board of Supervisors approved a grant of $20,000 for the Green Bay nonprofit “Awaken Justice” to spread awareness and education around human trafficking this year.
How Might I Spot Human Trafficking?
Yes, you may have seen it on TikTok or Instagram –– there is indeed a “secret” hand signal that indicates someone is being trafficked against their will and desires help.
The gesture is made with one hand, palm facing outward with all fingers together and up, but thumb tucked in towards the palm. Then the hand is closed with the four fingers folded down to cover the thumb. This sign can easily be disguised as a hand wave, and has been successfully used for report, recognition and rescue amid trafficking scenarios.
What Are Other Indicators of Human Trafficking?
Various abnormal behaviors — especially several of them together — can signal a trafficking situation. For example, someone may be in danger if they:
- Act fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, nervous or paranoid.
- Seem to be afraid of uniformed security personnel.
- Avoid eye contact and social interaction.
- Appear malnourished or has signs of torture or physical restraint (bruises, scars, cigarette burns).
- Are not permitted to move independently or speak for themselves (someone else insists on accompanying and speaking for them).
- Are dressed inappropriately for the weather (such as simply wearing jeans or shorts and a T-shirt in snow).
- Are marked by questionable tattoos that include money bags/barcodes/“property of.”
- Claim they are visiting, but are unable to clarify where they are staying.
- Tell a very inconsistent backstory.
What Should I Do if I Notice a Trafficking Situation?
Calling 911 is the best recourse for immediate danger. If you have information on a potential human trafficking situation, you may also dial the toll-free National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text “HELP” to 233733 for 24/7 assistance. Via humantraffickinghotline.org, you can chat with an advocate or submit an anonymous tip. However, a call or text to the hotline is best for a situation that is recent or urgent.
If you notice the secret hand signal, notify law enforcement immediately. If circumstances allow, keep an eye on the situation until the police arrive, but refrain from approaching the trafficker or questioning the victim.
Trafficking can be perpetrated through all modes of transport, including air travel. If you are in an airport and suspect a trafficking situation, alert airport authorities as your first recourse. If you are on a flight, notify an air steward and ask them to tell the pilot to contact ground authorities.
What Does the Catholic Church Say About Human Trafficking?
Catholic doctrine teaches that each individual human person has precious value “rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God” (CCC 1700). The church, both locally in the U.S. and at large through papal teaching, calls the practice of trafficking a serious and dehumanizing affront “to the God-given dignity of each victim” (USCCB, “Human Trafficking, U.S. Policy, and the Catholic Church”). In the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, Pope Paul VI refers to all actions that violate the dignity of the human person as a “supreme dishonor to the Creator” (Gaudium et Spes 27:3).
In a 2002 letter, Pope John Paul II said that human trafficking is a form of “twenty-first century slavery” and “an affront to fundamental values which are shared by all cultures and peoples, values rooted in the very nature of the human person.” In a similar letter, Pope Francis called the crime of human trafficking “an open wound on the body of contemporary society, a scourge upon the body of Christ.”
The Catholic Church calls us all to meet this egregious injustice with courage and compassion. We should remain vigilant, urge our policymakers to enact legislation that confronts this harsh reality, and pray for conversion and healing in our society.
The church observes an International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking on Feb. 8, the feast day of St. Josephine Bakhita. St. Josephine was a victim of trafficking and immense cruelty in her early life. Her story of healing and forgiveness is a witness to all who have suffered similar trauma, offering hope to the entire church.