The Next Stop: METRO's Podcast
Episode 67: You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking
01-24-2024


Kerri Taylor:  Everybody, everyone believes it couldnÕt happen to them or their child. Everyone believes itÕs not going on in their community. Unfortunately, it is going on in every community right under our noses.  

Doug Delony:  IÕm Doug Delony. On this edition of the Next Stop: We all play a role in ending one of the worst abuses that existÑhuman trafficking.  

[Introduction music plays] 

Doug Delony:  Today, we welcome Kerri Taylor, Executive Director of Unbound Now Houston. Welcome, Kerri.  

Kerri Taylor:  Oh, thank you so much for having me. IÕm glad to be here. 

Doug Delony:  Kerri joins us for a very timely discussion about human trafficking because every January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. So, tell us a little bit about your organization. I know you all have a very important mission, although maybe some people have not heard of you before.  

Kerri Taylor:  Okay, well, we envision a community free from human trafficking. And thatÕs a pretty lofty goal, right? But becauseÉ

Doug Delony:  Mm-hmm.

Kerri Taylor:  Éwe want to be a proactive force and not just a reactionary one, we always have three primary lanes of service in mind. Prevention and awareness, first of all, professional training, and then survivor advocacy. So, when you talk about awareness, we participate in as many discussions like this one so that people are aware not just of the Hollywood version of human trafficking but of how it manifests right here in our own city or town or our community, perhaps your neighborhood, right? For prevention, we in front of as many students as possible letting them know how traffickers operate, what it might look like if a recruiter approached them, and what the grooming process is like. Most importantly, we empower them to recognize the signs in each otherÑperhaps of a friend who may be being groomed. The truth is traffickers are so good at the methods they use that the target of their recruitment can almost never recognize it. 

But from a bit further of a distance, like their friends, their family, their teachers, they can see the potential danger and intervene before the trafficking actually gets started, or at least early in the game of it. And then we also reach out to as many professionals as possible who routinely interact and intersect with those vulnerable populations like pediatricians, dentists, pharmacists, mental health professionals, of course, educators, school nurses, their counselors, and most importantly, law enforcement. To date, we have trained over 60,000 professionals to identify and referÉ

Doug Delony:  Wow.  

Kerri Taylor:  Évictims of trafficking. But finally, the most beautiful, terrible part of our work I often say is the survivor advocacy piece. WeÕve walked with more than 2,000 victims of trafficking on their journey to restoration. And usually, that starts with a crisis response and those first critical hours after theyÕve been identified and brought to safety, on through the stages of change and stabilization.  

Doug Delony:  So, youÕre coming at this from every angle necessary. Not just from the victimÕs standpoint but from those who may know a victim and not even realize it. ItÕs probably a lot more common than most people assume. And as you touched on, itÕs not the movie version that most of us are used to seeing. IÕm sure many peopleÑand I just gotta say real quick as well, I gotta throw this out there as we dive into this conversation:  This is a very surface-level discussion on our podcast here at Houston METROÉ

Kerri Taylor:  Right.  

Doug Delony:  Éabout human trafficking.  There is so much more to it that we could go on for hours. In your definition, what is human trafficking? 

Kerri Taylor:  ThereÕs a long federal statute and a very comprehensive statute at the state level in Texas, but just to put it in laypersonÕs terms, I would say itÕs the sale of another personÕs body or their labor in exchange for something of value. And thatÕs a really important part. Because that something of value usually is money, but it doesnÕt have to be. It could be an exchange for rent or an exchange for drugs. We know that young people usually, most of the time, their first commercial sex act is in exchange for just a safe place to sleep. So, that broadens the definition for most people. It does have to be proven that a victim fell into the life of trafficking through either force, fraud, or coercion, right? 

And force, I donÕt think I have to describe. WeÕve all seen enough movies, and we know what that could look like. But more commonly, itÕs fraud. The false promise of a job or the false promise of a love relationship that doesnÕt really exist or the false promise that, ÒHey, IÕm gonna help you in your career. IÕm gonna connect you to the right people. I know people who can help you become famous.Ó Right? And when none of that really exists. Now, a really important caveat there is that if that personÑthe person being groomedÑis a minor, force, fraud, and coercion do not matter at all. Simply the fact that a minor is engaged in the commercial sex industry makes it human trafficking no matter what. So, thatÕs a really important thing to think about, and I know, again, most people donÕt really consider that part of it.  

Doug Delony:  Sex, you know, and human trafficking, I think a lot of people know thatÕs the one they probably, would you agree, most people, thatÕs where their mind goes when they think Òhuman traffickingÓ? 

Kerri Taylor:  Yeah.  

Doug Delony:  And they donÕt necessarily think or even know about the forced labor aspect or the other oneÑdomestic servitude. I mean, what are all theÉ

Kerri Taylor:  Well, if youÕre just talking about sex trafficking, which most peopleÑthatÕs the term we use, you know, just in general termsÑit is forced sex work. But it could also be forced participation in pornography or forced dancing at a strip club. And most survivors say that their experience was the combination of all of that. But thinking about it for a minor just take simply the fact that a minor is dancing at a strip club or simply the fact that a minor is pictured in pornography actually does make that human trafficking. When you talk about forced labor, weÕre talking about a person being forced to work for little or no pay, not being free to come and go, possibly owing their employer a debt, which their salary could never pay off, and not being in charge of their own money, right? Like the employer actually manages all that for them. And most importantly, and significantly, easy to see is that they arenÕt holding their own documents. Like their own passport or their own birth certificate or even their driver's license. So, they really have no choice to leave, and they donÕt have the ability to transport themselves to and from work. And so, if you see somebody delivered to a work site in a van and all of them pile out, thatÕsÑthatÕs a big red flag there. 

Doug Delony:  Mm-hmm.

Kerri Taylor:  When you think about domestic servitude, itÕs very similar. ItÕs usually like an au pair or maid or a gardener who is not being paid and is not free to come and go from the home. And again, theyÕre not holding their own documentation, so they really have no choice to leave. 

Doug Delony:  And not just in the cities. This is happening in suburbs and smaller towns.  

Kerri Taylor:  Oh, yes. This is not just an urban, big city crime. It happens in suburbs and rural areas too. And all of these communities really intersect to facilitate what traffickers do with this crime. 

Doug Delony:  This also means that human trafficking victims can be of any age, any race or ethnicity, any gender identity. It really does not matter. It can and does happen to all, correct? 

Kerri Taylor:  ThatÕs true. I mean, sadly to say, the youngest victim weÕve ever served was 4 years old. The oldest has been 46, to my knowledge. It can and does happen to everyone, but I do need to say that women of color are disproportionately represented in the pool of victims and survivors. Traditionally vulnerable children, you know, those who are already in the system in one way or another, whether thatÕs through foster care or theyÕve had some kind of CPS intervention, whether theyÕve been in juvenile detention or on probation. They really areÑthey remain the most vulnerable. But seriously, any young, single, unemployed student who is online is vulnerable. Like I said before, young people are primary recruited and groomed, and you know, all of the experienceÑthe trafficking happens online. And itÕs mostly done through really common apps that we all use.  

Doug Delony:  What happens in that digital world can carry over into the physical world, and they become victims of a much larger system, unfortunately.  And one of the reasons this is such a big topic here at METRO in January and year-round is that the crime continues to grow nationwide.  

Kerri Taylor:  Mm-hmm.

Doug Delony:  And the Federal Transit Administration says traffickers exploit multiple modes of transportation to move their victims around. And this includes public transit, public transportation. So human trafficking is a modern form of slavery. And I understand that victims of human trafficking may be afraid to come forward. From your experience, why is that? 

Kerri Taylor:  Well, they typically do have a great fear of coming forward, with good reason. Because theyÕre afraid of retribution from their traffickers. TheyÕve been threatened with unspeakable violence and lots of different control techniques. But more than that, theyÕre bonded to that trafficker usually through all the trauma and manipulation and kind of strategic control that the traffickers have used in creating that bond.  

Doug Delony:  And this leads me to what I hope is one of the big takeaways for people in this episode of the Next Stop: The fact that victims of human trafficking cannot come forward or they are afraid to come forward makes it so important that we and the general public are aware of what to look for. This is why your group Unbound Now trains professionals and the public and, in fact, you work with us here at METRO speaking to our employees, my colleagues, providing presentations on what to look for, how to spot those victims of human trafficking, and how to help them. 

Kerri Taylor:  Usually they donÕt have possession of their money, so theyÕre not carrying a lot of cash. They might have enough for a bus fare, or they might have a fare card. We know that traffickers really do like to use that public transit because itÕs harder to track those kind of purchases. And it can really provide a lot more anonymity for them. And less direct interaction with, you know, someone who would have a receipt for tracking their movement. Back to what you might see, you might see signs of physical abuse. You might see signs ofÑI really think youÕd see signs of emotional abuse more than even physical. TheyÕre really reluctant to talk to anyone or engage in a direct conversation with someone. They may avoid eye contact and give really vague answers to questions about where theyÕre going or why theyÕre alone or, you know, that kind of thing. 

They could be wearing makeup, which is really sophisticated beyond their age, or clothing thatÕs, you know, less what you would expect someone their age to wear. Or clothing thatÕs just super expensive. They might have salon treatments with their hair and nail treatments. And thatÕs just not typical for someone that young. Even on the transit, young children or teens or even a group of them could be accompanied by an older male figure or supervised by a male, or a female actually, assigned to watch their movements and then get dropped off near hotels or different things like that. 

They could displayÑmost of them doÑsome kind of a tattoo or a branding. And IÕm not talking about, you know, something they chose themselves, like, scripture on their ankle or something nice like that. ItÕs usually another personÕs name. Something that looks like it denotes ownership. And so, with a minor, you know, you have to get your parentÕs permission for a tattoo. So, itÕs at least worth a conversation like, you could just say something like, ÒThatÕs a really interesting tattoo. Tell me how you chose that.Ó You know? And see if that brings up vague answers or maybe strikes fear in their eyes. Those are just some more indicators youÕre looking for.  

You may also see young people riding during school hours or riding very, very late at night. And thatÕs not typical. ThatÕs not a regular way for children to engage with transit. So, all of those are things that should raise a red flag and make you look a little more closely and consider reporting that.  

Doug Delony:  And the federal government reports more than 27 million people around the world endure horrific abuse that is human trafficking. The State Department has a list of questions you can ask. That is if you have the opportunity to speak to them without jeopardizing their safety. Now some of those questions include, ÒCan you leave your job if you want to?Ó ÒCan you come and go as you please?Ó ÒHave you been hurt or threatened if you try to leave?Ó ÒHas your family been threatened?Ó ÒDo you live with your employer?Ó ÒWhere do you sleep and eat?Ó ÒAre you in debt to your employer?Ó ÒDo you have your passport or identification? Who has it?Ó And of course, when it comes to reporting human trafficking in general beyond the transit system or maybe on the transit system, thereÕs that National Human Trafficking Hotline 888-373-7888. We always tell people, though, if thereÕs an emergency, if thereÕs an actual physical altercation happening, call 9-1-1 regardless of whatÕs happening. So, I say all that to say thereÕs also organizations like yours and obviously you have other resources and perhaps know of other ways that it should be reported. I mean, how can a victim seek help? Where can they go? Can they go to your website? Or if someone thinks that they know a victim, can they come to you as well? 

Kerri Taylor:  They certainly can call our 24/7 hotline. An advocate will pick that call up, and if itÕs an emergency respond, we all always guarantee a response within 90 minutes being on site. WeÕre not law enforcement, so I would sayÉ

Doug Delony:  Sure.  

Kerri Taylor:  Éoften the calls we get from parents or a victim themselves, weÕll schedule an appointment and meet with them in a safe location. And if it is an emergency, if there is any danger involved, you must call 9-1-1. And then they connect. Certainly, if you witness a sudden emergency, someone being forced into a vehicle once they get off the bus or off the train, you know, thatÕs something youÕd want to report immediately. But just if you are a regular rider, and you see suspicious activity on certain routes or in certain locations, note that and report it to the National HumanÉ

Doug Delony:  Yeah.  

Kerri Taylor:  ÉTrafficking Hotline or to METRO so that it can be investigated. And you can do it anonymously. Certainly, donÕt attempt to rescue the victim yourself becauseÉ

Doug Delony:  No, no.  

Kerri Taylor:  Éthat could put them at more danger. It is certainly gonna put you in danger.  

Doug Delony:  Really document whatÕs happening.  

Kerri Taylor:  Right.  

Doug Delony:  Make note of a vehicle.  With METRO, of course, all of our vehicles and platforms, they have cameras all around.  

Kerri Taylor:  Oh, great.  

Doug Delony:  And theyÕre always recording.  

Kerri Taylor:  Mm-hmm.  

Doug Delony:  Dozens and dozens of cameras on individual vehicles and platforms. When you put it all together, thereÕs probably evidence already there. But itÕs important to know what time something happened.  

Kerri Taylor:  Mm-hmm.  

Doug Delony:  Where you were when you saw it.  

Kerri Taylor:  You know, sometimes youÕre reluctant to report because you think, ÒGoshÉ

Doug Delony:  Mm-hmm.

Kerri Taylor:  Émaybe IÕm not seeing what I should see.Ó You kind of start gaslighting yourselfÉ 

Doug Delony:  Right.   

Kerri Taylor:  Éright?  

Doug Delony:  Right.  

Kerri Taylor:  But thereÕs no crime in being wrong. But itÕs really important to know that once someone falls into this life, I think numbers are changing, but the latest hard stat that I have says that once you become a victim of trafficking only 1% of those people makeÉ

Doug Delony:  Mm.  

Kerri Taylor:  Éit out of that life. And thatÕs for many reasons we wonÕt go into today. It could be a matter of life or death, your report.  

Doug Delony:  If ever any citizen is listening to this and they really want to get involvedÉ

Kerri Taylor:  Mm-hmm.

Doug Delony:  Éwhat other resources can they turn to or how can they get involved? How can they help? 

Kerri Taylor:  Yeah, well, there are numerous organizations, especially here in Houston because this is such an issue here. But I would direct them to unboundnow.org. There are online, on-demand trainings. You know, if youÕre a parent and you want to do that, or if youÕre a teacher or a nurse or any kind of medical professional, we have trainings thatÕll give you a free CEU and satisfy the licensure requirements to renew your license. So, those are really important resources for professionals. But just beyond that, teachers and parents, you guys can just, you know, do a simple online training anytime you want at that website. 

We do need volunteers. We like to take fresh baked cookies or snacks like that put together for the students, and we really do like people to commit to go out with us. It takes a volunteer force to go along with our early intervention specialists to do that work. So, those are some good opportunities. We sometimes will do outreaches, or we also have these bags that we take with us on crisis response. You know, when that hotline rings, and weÕre there onsite, we take a survivor bag that sometimes includes just clothing or a warm blanket or, you know, fresh toiletries. All those things. And so, organizations putting those together for us are very helpful. 

And really, I do want to say, I hate to ask for a donation, but all of our programsÑthat survivor advocacy, like I said, itÕs very costly. Providing all those services that survivors require to get healthy and well, it's a huge burden to us. And so, we have two major fundraisers we do every year. We have a brunch in the fall. And here on February 23rd, we have a sporting clays tournament coming up. So, that should be on our website as well. Go register. Bring a team. Come learn more about us or volunteer and help us put that on. We would love to have more people in the community helping us out.  

Doug Delony:  And IÕm glad you brought it up. So, no, donÕt feel bad about having to bring up fundraising because I know thatÕs a huge part of it too. I know it can be overwhelming with how widespread human trafficking is. So, Kerri Taylor, Unbound Now Houston, thank you, again, so much for joining us. Is there anything that I didnÕt touch on in this conversation that you wished we had? Are there any final remarks youÕd like to make? 

Kerri Taylor:  Everybody, everyone believes it couldnÕt happen to them or their child. Everyone believes itÕs not going on in their community. Unfortunately, it is going on in every community right under our noses. ItÕs not like you would see someone snatched, right? And itÕs not like you would notice. They usually look just like your own children, students, sometimes theyÕre still attending school while theyÕre being trafficked, right? So, itÕs that really specific thing you note. All the things we discussed today. Go back and listen again. Listen to the podcast more than once. Because it takes a moment for those things to set, and for you to recognize it, but I would just say donÕt ignore your gut. If you see something, like you said, say something. Take some action. If it were your child, you would want someone else to do that even if they risked being wrong. 

Doug Delony:  Thank you again so much, Kerri Taylor, for joining us.  

Kerri Taylor:  YouÕre welcome. Thanks so much, Doug. I appreciate it. 

Doug Delony:  That wraps it up for this edition of the Next Stop. Thanks again to you, the listener, and to all of our METRO riders out there. Please stay alert. Stay observant. You never know, you might save someoneÕs life. As a reminder, Unbound Now has that Houston 24/7 Crisis Response and Referral Line. Save it on your phone. That number is 346-202-4299. Another resource is the National Human Trafficking Hotline. ThatÕs 888-373-7888. IÕm Doug Delony. If youÕd like to check out more episodes and subscribe to the Next Stop, you can find all the links you need on ridemetro.org. As always, drive less and do more with Houston METRO.  

[Music plays to the end] 


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