A display promoting the 2025 NFL Draft is shown at Lambeau Field May 24, 2023. PC: Fox 11 Online
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Human trafficking incidents tend to increase during high-profile events that draw big crowds. An effort is underway to educate the public as January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
Human trafficking is the recruitment of people and the selling of people for sex.
“When you think about that, for a business, you need supply and you need demand. So, anywhere you have people who are willing to pay for sex, there are traffickers or pimps who are willing to recruit and exploit people for money,” said Terra Koslowski with the Demascus Road Project.
Even without large events, like the upcoming NFL Draft, Terra Koslowski said human trafficking is real in Northeast Wisconsin. According to Koslowski, “Since we started keeping track, in 2017, we have assisted over 700 women who were either victims of human trafficking or commercial sexual exploitation.”
The draft is one of those situations, however, where human trafficking incidents are expected to increase.
“There’s an influx of people and that means an influx of money and traffickers know that. They know that there’s an influx of people away from their home, away from what’s familiar, away from their family, coming to a location for the purpose of entertainment or work and wanting to be involved in entertainment later on,” added Koslowski.
According to Grand Chute Police, in its human trafficking and prostitution cases, most people involved are from Milwaukee or communities further south.
Terra Koslowski said it’s quite possible victims could be brought into the area for events like the draft and forced to work.
Fox World Travel is just the latest entity taking steps to help bring awareness to the issue. And it’s working to educate people on how to spot potential cases of human trafficking, even providing a toolkit.
“Three things to look for, someone who seems disoriented. They potentially don’t know where they are, where they’re going or what their travel routine should be. They don’t have possession of their own documentation, their own identification or anything of that realm. Or they might seem to be under the control or under the influence of somebody else, potentially even fearful to speak or interact on their own,” said Kelly Chartre with Fox World Travel.
Whether it’s in a airport, a hotel lobby or in a bar or club — if people are educated about what human trafficking looks like, they encouraged if they see something to say something.
Koslowski said, “Go with those instincts and the tips you report can maybe be put together for a case and help get that person recovered.”
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