The following op-ed first appeared in the Tulsa World on Sunday, January 26.
Human trafficking is all too often a hidden crime, with perpetrators traveling through the inconspicuous hallways of the homes they know, instead of the major interstates that cross state lines. And, as Tulsa World Editorials Editor Ginnie Graham points out in her recent column, this issue is not getting the attention it needs (“Oklahomans ignoring human trafficking are allowing it to thrive,” Jan. 12).
Today, misconceptions around human trafficking persist, with many believing that victims are children and women who have been kidnapped from other states or brought here from other countries. However, it’s important to recognize that victims are often trafficked by someone they know - it is rarely perpetrated by a stranger.
Through my work with the Ascension St. John Human Trafficking Education and Response Program, many of the victims that I’ve supported have never been outside Oklahoma. These victims are often trafficked by immediate family, their partner or through an interaction that began online.
One all-to-common, heartbreaking example of what human trafficking looks like day-to-day: I’ve supported several cases where a parent or guardian has traded their child to their landlord in exchange for drugs or rent.
This is why the Ascension St. John Human Trafficking Education and Response Program exists. Since it began six years ago, we have supported hundreds of victims and suspected victims of human trafficking, offering a safe place to access healthcare and connection to essential resources throughout Oklahoma.
But our work goes even deeper than that.
To identify and support victims, we walk alongside them in their journey and build a trust and rapport that can sometimes feel impossible to build. This is because victims often fear retaliation from their trafficker, in addition to being conditioned to the idea that the law is not on their side.
Many are also likely to be addicted to a substance, often pushed by their trafficker as an added layer of control.
And the majority of victims blame themselves.
With each step of this journey, we have supported victims, helping them break through the protective walls they’ve built to survive. We have seen families reunited and hope restored. But most of all, we have helped facilitate and bore witness to the newfound sense of freedom that allows victims of human trafficking to build a new and better life.
Earlier this month, I was proud to stand with Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, the Tulsa City Council and community members as they proclaimed January as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month.
Ending human trafficking begins with increasing awareness in our local communities, and it is my hope that increased awareness encourages more people to seek support.
Help is available. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, you can visit any Ascension St. John hospital or clinic, contact the Polaris Hotline at 888-373-7888 or call 911.
For more information about and ways to become more involved in the fight against human trafficking, please contact the Ascension St. John Human Trafficking Education and Response Program by emailing advocate@ascension.org or the Oklahoma Coalition Against Human Trafficking by visiting www.OCATOklahoma.org.
About Sara Gadd:
Sara Gadd runs the Ascension St. John Human Trafficking Education and Response Program, where she trains healthcare providers to identify and respond to the needs of those experiencing human trafficking. Gadd is also the chair of the Oklahoma Coalition Against Human Trafficking (OCAT), whose mission is to advance a multidisciplinary response to all forms of human trafficking by focusing on prevention, protection and prosecution. She holds a Master of Arts degree in human services, focusing on marriage and family.
