January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. In a media landscape shaped by high profile cases like Jeffrey Epstein, sensational films such as Taken and Sound of Freedom, and conspiracy theories like Pizzagate, most Americans are familiar with the concept of human trafficking. But awareness of an issue does not equal understanding. While many people have heard the word “trafficking,” widespread misinformation continues to shape how the public understands who is affected, how trafficking happens, and what solutions actually keep people safe. This Human Trafficking Awareness Month, it is vital to move beyond fear based narratives and focus on the facts, because accurate information is essential to creating policies that truly support trafficking survivors and prevent harm.
Below are some of the most common trafficking myths — and the realities behind them.
Myth: Trafficking victims are always kidnapped, restrained, and desperate to be rescued.
Reality: Trafficking does not require physical restraint or kidnapping. Many people are controlled through psychological coercion, emotional manipulation, economic dependence, or threats related to housing, immigration status, or personal safety. Survivors may not identify as victims, may not seek help from law enforcement, or may remain in exploitative situations because it feels like their safest or most viable option at the time. The idea that all trafficking victims need to be “rescued” can cause harm by stripping people of agency and ignoring the complexity of their experiences.
Myth: Sex trafficking is the only form of human trafficking.
Reality: While sex trafficking receives the most media attention, labor trafficking more widespread and often far less visible. People are trafficked into forced labor across industries, including agriculture, construction, domestic work, food service, and caregiving. Human trafficking exists on a spectrum of exploitation, and individuals may experience multiple forms of abuse at once. Focusing exclusively on sex trafficking leaves many survivors without recognition or support.
Myth: Human trafficking only affects foreign nationals or undocumented immigrants.
Reality: Human trafficking impacts both U.S. citizens and non citizens alike. People of all ages, genders, backgrounds, and immigration statuses can experience trafficking. Certain vulnerabilities such as poverty, housing insecurity, prior trauma, LGBTQ+ identity, or involvement in criminalized economies can increase risk, but there is no single “type” of trafficking victim.
Myth: Human trafficking and sex work are the same thing.
Reality: Under U.S. law, trafficking involves force, fraud, or coercion, or any commercial sex involving a minor. Consensual adult sex work does not meet this definition. Conflating sex work with trafficking erases the experiences of trafficking survivors while also harming sex workers by subjecting them to increased policing, stigma, and surveillance. Clear legal distinctions matter because they shape how people are treated by systems meant to provide protection and support.
Myth: Decriminalizing consensual adult prostitution will increase human trafficking.
Reality: There is no evidence that decriminalizing consensual adult prostitution increases trafficking. In fact, criminalization creates conditions that make trafficking harder to detect and safer reporting nearly impossible. When sex workers fear arrest, they are less likely to report abuse, coercion, or exploitation, including trafficking. Decriminalization removes barriers to reporting, reduces reliance on third parties, and allows survivors and sex workers alike to seek help without fear of punishment. Policies rooted in evidence, not myth, are essential to preventing trafficking and supporting those who experience it.
This Human Trafficking Awareness Month, arm yourself with the facts and support organizations that center trafficking survivors and sex workers in their work, including The Cupcake Girls, Freedom Network USA, and the National Survivor Network.
