More than 40 attendees gathered in the Health Science and Technology Building on Wednesday for a panel discussion on human trafficking hosted by Break the Silence, a peer-led university education organization that raises awareness about sexual assault, stalking, gender-based violence and other forms of abuse through educational events and sessions.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The event provided a space for students to engage in conversation and learn from local experts, including representatives from Boom, St. Luke\u2019s Hospital, the Lehigh University Police Department and the Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Panelists began by defining various forms human trafficking can take.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Carol Andersen, the CEO of Bloom, a Bethlehem-based nonprofit that supports victims of sex trafficking, said trafficking often looks different than people expect.
\n\u201cIt takes on more forms than people are aware of, and some people may not realize that it is happening when it is,\u201d Andersen said.\u00a0
\nShe said many people assume sex trafficking involves kidnapping, when in reality it can occur through a range of situations. In some cases, someone close to the victim may attempt to lure them into \u201ctrading sex.\u201d
\nPanelists also discussed where and when trafficking most commonly occurs.
\nDanyla Frazier, a forensic nurse at St. Luke\u2019s Hospital, who\u2019s been working there for five years, said trafficking happens everywhere.<\/p>\n
Often, she said, patients come in for unrelated injuries, and her team discovers past injuries connected to sex trafficking abuse.<\/p>\n
Andersen said one warning sign to look for is deliberate manipulation by traffickers, who identify personal needs and insert themselves into victims\u2019 lives as part of a grooming process.<\/p>\n
She said traffickers may attempt to fill a role in someone\u2019s life to gain trust and control.<\/p>\n
Anderson said recognizing luring methods is only part of a broader response to sex trafficking, emphasizing that responsibility should remain on perpetrators rather than victims.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there is someone there to consume (the grooming), (traffickers) will find vulnerable people that have a need,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Emily Grigonis, the associate director of the Crime Victims Council of the Lehigh Valley, said traffickers can be difficult to identify.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She said traffickers are difficult for law enforcement to identify because they\u2019re skilled at hiding their behavior and manipulating others.<\/p>\n
In hospital settings, Frazier said health care workers play a critical role in identifying trafficking situations.<\/p>\n
She said forensic nurses in emergency rooms are trained to recognize warning signs, but they don\u2019t pressure patients to disclose information they\u2019re uncomfortable sharing.\u00a0<\/p>\n