Pinole PD To Call Community's Attention To Human Trafficking

PINOLE, CA — Often referred to as "modern day slavery," it's estimated that 20.9 million people are trafficked worldwide, according to SafeHorizon.org.

California is one of the largest sites of human trafficking in the United States. In 2018, 1,656 cases of human trafficking were reported in the state, the California Department of Justice reports.

To bring awareness to the seriousness of the problem the Pinole Police Department announced Monday that officers will be posting the following fliers below:

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.

"It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations," the police department posted on its official Facebook page.

In addition, police said language barriers, fear of their traffickers, and/or fear of law enforcement frequently keep victims from seeking help, making human trafficking a hidden crime. The trauma caused by the traffickers can be so great that many may not identify themselves as victims or ask for help, even in highly public settings.