Every day, people in our city—and all around the world—are forced into lives they did not choose. Lives marked by exploitation and abuse.
You’ve certainly heard the term human trafficking before in the news or in a film. But many people do not have a clear picture of what this issue actually looks like in real life.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security defines human trafficking as:
“The use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.”
There are many misconceptions surrounding human trafficking. Part of the reason why is that this issue is often hidden in the dark. It’s not an easy topic to talk about, but it’s so important that we do talk about it. Because without true awareness, we cannot take meaningful steps to protect vulnerable individuals. When we know better, we are better equipped to offer the informed, compassionate support survivors need as they rebuild their futures.
To help shed some light on this issue, we are highlighting 7 statistics that illustrate the realities of human trafficking—not just on a global level, but right here in our city:
1. An estimated 25 million people worldwide are survivors of human trafficking.
The way human trafficking is often depicted or discussed in the media can leave many people with the impression that it’s rare and distant, affecting only a small number of people, or that it happens in a single, dramatic incident.
But the truth is that human trafficking is much more common than you may assume. It’s happening right in our city, every single day.
Many people don’t realize this, because one of the most common myths about human trafficking is that it looks like sudden kidnappings by strangers.
The truth is, trafficking is often a slow, calculated process of grooming and manipulation. It often starts with trust—a trafficker posing as a friend, romantic partner, or even a family member who slowly gains control.
Grooming can even happen online through social media, gaming platforms, or phone communication. It relies on emotional connection and psychological coercion, not force.
When we understand the real factors that lead to human trafficking, we can better understand why this statistic is so large, and why so many individuals unexpectedly find themselves trapped in this life.
2. Less than 1% of human trafficking survivors are identified.
Many people assume that a survivor of human trafficking knows that they are a survivor. In reality, this is not the case a vast majority of the time.
Survivors often do not realize they are victims because this crime is rooted in force, fraud, and coercion. In many cases, exploitation has been normalized in their lives—sometimes even across generations. Survivors also may not have awareness about what human trafficking truly is, making it even harder to recognize.
This is exactly why we started Human Trafficking 101. To help more people understand this issue, we conduct community outreach by offering presentations to businesses, churches, community groups, schools, and media. In these trainings, we provide information on what human trafficking is, signs and indications of trafficking, risk factors, and more, customizing our presentation so it can best suit the purposes of a particular audience.
Our goal with these presentations is to educate the community, but it’s also to increase the chances that survivors will self-identify. In fact, when we have done these presentations for youth in high schools, brave students have come forward and self-identified, which allowed us to get them the help they needed to start healing.
3. 56% of survivors of trafficking were first exploited between the ages of 15 and 26.
At a time in a young person’s life when they are still figuring out who they are and trying to support themselves, it can be easy for them to trust someone who does not have their best interests in mind—someone who wants to exploit them.
It breaks our hearts to know that teens and young adults are placed in these dark situations, feeling isolated and unsure of how to move forward.
Can you imagine trying to navigate the medical system, the courts, law enforcement, mental health support, and more—all on your own at such a young age?
That’s why we take intentional measures to support young survivors. Through our Youth Advocacy program, we respond 24/7 when a child or teen is removed from a harmful situation. Then, we walk with them through the recovery process.
We are here to help youth navigate these complex systems and ensure their voices are heard. We may not be able to erase what happened to the youth survivors we support—but we can make sure they never have to walk the path of healing alone.
4. Experiencing food insecurity and poverty as a teenager is linked to survival sex and commercial sexual exploitation.
It’s easy to take certain things in life for granted. A safe place to sleep each night. A steady meal on the table. Enough resources to make ends meet.
These may seem like simple, everyday basics, but not everyone has consistent access to these essential needs. These vulnerabilities can be preyed upon, and exploited by someone with harmful intentions.
Once someone is pulled into exploitation for the sake of survival, finding a way out can feel nearly impossible.
5. 23% of homeless young adults (ages 18-26) had engaged in the sex trade.
Being without a home is one of the most vulnerable positions a person can find themselves in. Traffickers exploit this vulnerability by offering employment and basic needs as common recruitment tactics.
This is exactly why so much of our work is centered around meeting the basic, essential needs of survivors. At our Drop-In Center, we provide hot meals, a place to rest, snack packs, hygiene products, clothing, and more.
We also offer case management services, which include helping survivors find affordable housing opportunities.
This allows survivors to meet their essential needs in a safe, supportive space—surrounded by people who care for them without strings attached.
6. It’s estimated that there are more than 300,000 survivors of human trafficking (sex and labor trafficking) in Texas, 79,000 of whom are minors.
We want to take a moment to zoom in and really focus on the local reality of this issue. Human trafficking is a worldwide crisis, and when we see how big this problem is, it can be hard to know where to start helping.
One of the best ways to make an impact is to start in your own backyard. The need is not small here. Just read that statistic again: 300,000 survivors of human trafficking are right here in your home state of Texas.
For example, to make our resources as accessible as possible, we established our Drop-In Center—the heart of our operations—in a very intentional location. It sits on Bissonnet, a nationally-recognized hotspot for trafficking and prostitution.
Our mission is to connect with survivors directly, hear their stories, and provide resources that truly make a difference. We know we can serve most effectively when we meet the issue where it happens.
7. In 2024, Texas ranked second for the number of hotline signals received by the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
Texas ranked second.
From the received calls and texts, the NHTH identified 1,360 cases involving 2,439 survivors of trafficking, a 41% increase in identified survivors from 2023.
The issue of human trafficking is not far away. It’s right here in our city of Houston, and it’s growing bigger every day.
This year marks the 10-year anniversary of The Landing. We’ve been serving local survivors for a decade now, and we anticipate serving the highest number of individuals yet this year due to the growing needs in our community.
But we can’t do it alone. All of our programs—from providing survivors with essential resources, to connecting them with case management services, mental health counseling, career development opportunities, and more, are only made possible through the generous support of compassionate people like you.
Has your perspective on human trafficking changed after reading these statistics? Did you learn anything new that you didn’t know before? If so, please consider sharing this article with a friend or family member to help us spread awareness.
And if reading about the realities of this crisis has resonated with your heart, we encourage you to get involved.
When you give monthly to The Landing, you are supporting hundreds of lives changed each and every year. Right now, we also are looking for 16 churches, businesses, or local organizations to volunteer monthly to help us provide a hot meal to survivors every day our Drop-In Center is open.
Thank you for standing with us as we strive to offer compassionate, Christ-centered support to human trafficking survivors in Houston. Together, we can bring this issue into the light and ensure survivors have access to healing and long-term support.
