NATIONAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESOURCE CENTER (NHTRC) DATA BREAKDOWN

United States Report

1/1/2015 12/31/2015
OVERVIEW OF INCOMING SIGNALS
The following information is based on incoming signals made to the NHTRC from January 1, 2015 December 31,
2015 about human trafficking cases and issues related to human trafficking in the United States and U.S.
territories. Signals refer to incoming communications with the NHTRC and can take the form of phone calls, online
tip reports, or emails. Signals regarding topics unrelated to human trafficking are not included in this report. In
2015, the NHTRC received a total of 24,757 signals nationwide.

21,947 Phone Calls

1,275 Emails

1,535 Online Tip Reports

SUBSTANTIVE CALL DATA

The following statistics are based solely on substantive calls about human trafficking and issues related to human
trafficking made to the NHTRC between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015. Substantive calls exclude hangups, missed calls, wrong numbers, and calls in which the callers reason for calling is unknown.
CALLER TYPE
Community Member

# OF CALLS
5,833

% OF CALLS
26.6%

Victim of Trafficking
NGO Representative

3,506
2,293

16.0%
10.4%

Other
Family of Trafficking Victim

1,546
1,383

7.0%
6.3%

Victim of Labor Exploitation

Victim of Other Crime

1,305
1,303

5.9%
5.9%

Law Enforcement
Government Official

663
645

3.0%
2.9%

Student
Friend of Trafficking Victim

555
462

2.5%
2.1%

Medical Professional
Not Specified

415
392

1.9%
1.8%

Legal Professional
Faith-Based Representative
Trucker
Educator/School Personnel

294
232
208
182

1.3%
1.1%
0.9%
0.8%

This publication was made possible in part through Grant Number 90ZV0102 from the Office on Trafficking in Persons, Administration for Children and
Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the
official views of the Office on Trafficking in Persons, Administration for Children and Families, or HHS.

Mental Health Professional

Business

169
138

0.8%
0.6%

Press/Media
Acquaintance of Trafficker

113
98

0.5%
0.4%

Buyer of Commercial Sex

Contact from the NHTRC Database

82
43

0.4%
0.2%

Visa Holder
Airline/Airport Personnel

29
23

0.1%
0.1%

Military Personnel
Truck Stop Employee

15
9

0.1%
0.04%

4
3

0.02%
0.01%

3
1
21,947

0.01%
0.005%
100.0%

211/311 Operator
Foreign Government Official
Potential Trafficker
Caller Types Referenced Fewer than Three Times*
TOTAL # OF SUBSTANTIVE CALLS

*To protect the identity of the people we serve, the NHTRC does not disclose exact statistics related to venues, industries,
victim information, or caller information referenced fewer than three times.

HOW DID CALLER FIND NHTRC (WHERE KNOWN)

Internet-Web Search
Referral
Word of Mouth
Department of State Know Your Rights Pamphlet
Television
Other
Conference/Training/Presentation
Polaris
Pamphlet/Brochure/Leaflet
Poster
Awareness Campaign
Other Media
Newspaper-Magazine
Billboard
Rescue and Restore Campaign
Radio
DHS Blue Campaign
211/311
Film
Backpage.com
DOJ Trafficking Hotline

# OF CALLS
878

% OF CALLS
23.8%

755
461
286
271
169
165
122
115
98
70
55
51
45
39
36
21
18
15
12
3

20.4%
12.5%
7.7%
7.3%
4.6%
4.5%
3.3%
3.1%
2.7%
1.9%
1.5%
1.4%
1.2%
1.1%
1.0%
0.6%
0.5%
0.4%
0.3%
0.1%

Newsletter
Directory/Phonebook

3
2

0.1%
0.1%

UNICEF
FBI Website

2
1

0.1%
0.0%

3,693

100.0%

# OF CALLS
3,609

% OF CALLS
18.3%

Texas
Florida

1,731
1,518

8.8%
7.7%

Ohio
New York
Michigan
Georgia
Virginia
Illinois
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
North Carolina
Maryland
Washington
Missouri
Arizona
Colorado
District of Columbia
Nevada
Louisiana
Tennessee
Massachusetts
Kentucky

1,066
924
717
641
624
555
543
514
463
454
410
365
355
310
298
277
276
262
258
257

5.4%
4.7%
3.6%
3.3%
3.2%
2.8%
2.8%
2.6%
2.4%
2.3%
2.1%
1.9%
1.8%
1.6%
1.5%
1.4%
1.4%
1.3%
1.3%
1.3%

Oregon
Indiana

252
243

1.3%
1.2%

South Carolina
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Alabama
International Location
Iowa
Oklahoma
Kansas

233
227
224
186
164
146
146
126

1.2%
1.2%
1.1%
0.9%
0.8%
0.7%
0.7%
0.6%

TOTAL # OF CALLS WHERE HOW CALLER FOUND NHTRC IS KNOWN

CALLS BY CALLERS LOCATION (STATE)
California

Connecticut
Arkansas

120
109

0.6%
0.6%

Mississippi
Utah

107
101

0.5%
0.5%

Nebraska
New Mexico

101
90

0.5%
0.5%

Hawaii
Montana

68
66

0.3%
0.3%

South Dakota
Maine

64
59

0.3%
0.3%

Idaho
West Virginia

58
48

0.3%
0.2%

48
47
47
40
37
32
28
28
19,672

0.2%
0.2%
0.2%
0.2%
0.2%
0.2%
0.1%
0.1%
100.0%

North Dakota
U.S. Territories
New Hampshire
Rhode Island
Alaska
Wyoming
Delaware
Vermont
TOTAL # OF CALLS WHERE CALLERS LOCATION IS KNOWN

HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASE DATA

Each request submitted to the hotline is evaluated for evidence of potential human trafficking. In the United
States, a total of 5,544 unique cases (incidents) of potential human trafficking were reported to the hotline in
2015.
PRIMARY REASON FOR CONTACTING THE NHTRC

# OF CASES

% OF CASES

Report a Trafficking Tip

Access Service Referrals
Request Crisis Assistance
Request General Information*

3,291
1,750
368
88

59.4%
31.6%
6.6%
1.6%

Request T&TA*
TOTAL # OF CASES

47
5,544

0.8%
100.0%

*In some instances, an individual who is aware of a specific situation of potential trafficking may contact the NHTRC for
general information about human trafficking or to learn more about services available to trafficking victims. In other
instances, service providers or law enforcement working with a victim of trafficking may contact the NHTRC for technical
assistance.

VENUE/INDUSTRY OF POTENTIAL TRAFFICKING

Sex

# OF CASES
4,136

% OF CASES
74.6%

Commercial Front Brothel

Hotel/Motel-Based

426
413

7.7%
7.4%

Online Ad, Venue Not Specified*

Residential Brothel

353
233

6.4%
4.2%

Street-Based
Escort/Delivery Service

204
153

3.7%
2.8%

Other Venue
Pornography

142
128

2.6%
2.3%

85
43
35
3

1.5%
0.8%
0.6%
0.1%

3
1,915

0.1%
34.5%

721
131

13.0%
2.4%

Agriculture/Farms
Traveling Sales Crew

75
68

1.4%
1.2%

Restaurant/Food Service
Health & Beauty Services
Hospitality
Begging Ring
Retail/Other Small Business
Peddling Ring

54
35
27
20
19
19

1.0%
0.6%
0.5%
0.4%
0.3%
0.3%

Illicit Activity
Arts & Entertainment

19
16

0.3%
0.3%

Other Industry
Construction

15
14

0.3%
0.3%

Landscaping Service
Hostess/Strip Club

13
12

0.2%
0.2%

Housekeeping/Cleaning Service
Factory

11
9

0.2%
0.2%

Traveling Carnival
Forestry/Reforestation

7
7

0.1%
0.1%

Education
Professional/Scientific/Tech Services

7
7

0.1%
0.1%

Transportation

0.1%

Truck Stop-Based
Hostess/Strip Club
Bar/Club-Based
Legal Brothel
Sex Tourism
Venue Not Specified
Labor
Domestic Work

Health Care
Industries Referenced in Fewer than Three Cases**
Industry Not Specified
Sex & Labor
Trafficking Type Not Specified***
TOTAL # OF POTENTIAL TRAFFICKING CASES

6
6

0.1%
0.1%

118
178

2.1%
3.2%

509
5,544

9.2%
100.0%

*These cases typically involve reports of sex trafficking in which an individual is advertised for commercial sex online but the
venue of the sex act is unknown or not specified.
**To protect the identity of the people we serve, the NHTRC does not disclose exact statistics related to venues, industries,
victim information or caller information referenced fewer than three times.
***This typically occurs when a law enforcement agent or service provider contacts the NHTRC for resources and referrals but
does not disclose details about the trafficking situation due to confidentiality. This category also includes cases in which the
person reporting the information references human trafficking but does not provide further detail regarding the presence of
labor or commercial sex. These cases are often submitted to the NHTRC through anonymous online tip reports.

VICTIM DEMOGRAPHICS* (LABOR TRAFFICKING CASES)

Adults
Minors
Females
Males
Transgender Females
Transgender Males
Gender Non-Conforming Individuals
US Citizens/Legal Permanent Residents
Foreign Nationals

# OF CASES
581
114
411
333
3
3
Fewer than Three**
107
453

% OF CASES
80.6%
15.8%
57.0%
46.2%
0.4%
0.4%
N/A
14.8%
62.8%
NON-CUMULATIVE*

*These statistics are non-cumulative. Cases may involve multiple victims and include female, male, transgender and gender
non-conforming individuals, foreign nationals and U.S. citizens, adults and minors. In some cases, demographic information is
not reported. This table shows the number of cases referencing each demographic and not the number of individual victims.
**To protect the identity of the people we serve, the NHTRC does not disclose exact statistics related to venues, industries,
victim information or caller information referenced fewer than three times.

VICTIM DEMOGRAPHICS* (SEX TRAFFICKING CASES)

Adults
Minors
Females
Males
Transgender Females
Transgender Males
Gender Non-Conforming Individuals
US Citizens/Legal Permanent Residents
Foreign Nationals

# OF CASES
2,594
1,379
3,780
168
32
0
4
1,435
399

% OF CASES
62.7%
33.3%
91.4%
4.1%
0.8%
0.0%
0.1%
34.7%
9.6%
NON-CUMULATIVE*

*These statistics are non-cumulative. Cases may involve multiple victims and include female, male, transgender and gender
non-conforming individuals, foreign nationals and U.S. citizens, adults and minors. In some cases, demographic information is
not reported. This table shows the number of cases referencing each demographic and not the number of individual victims.
**To protect the identity of the people we serve, the NHTRC does not disclose exact statistics related to venues, industries,
victim information or caller information referenced fewer than three times.

POTENTIAL VICTIM(S) COUNTRY OR COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN

United States

# OF CASES
1,660

% OF CASES
29.9%

109
75

2.0%
1.4%

Multiple Nationalities Referenced**

Philippines

67
59

1.2%
1.1%

Nationalities Referenced in Fewer than Three Cases***

Guatemala
Honduras
South Korea
El Salvador
India
Vietnam
Russia
Thailand
Nigeria

47
30
28
24
20
19
17
15
15
10

0.8%
0.5%
0.5%
0.4%
0.4%
0.3%
0.3%
0.3%
0.3%
0.2%

Other
Kenya
Jamaica
Colombia
Peru
South Africa
Brazil
Japan

9
8
8
7
6
6
5
5

0.2%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%

Ethiopia
Cuba

5
5

0.1%
0.1%

Ukraine
Venezuela
United Kingdom
Romania
Ghana
Israel
Belize
Rwanda
Turkey

4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3

0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%
0.1%

Mexico
China

Tanzania
Singapore

3
3

0.1%
0.1%

Liberia
Haiti

3
3

0.1%
0.1%

Spain
Unknown / Not Specified *

3
3,237

0.1%
58.4%

GRAND TOTAL

5,544

100.0%

*In some cases, demographic information is not reported to the NHTRC.

** Cases may involve victims of multiple nationalities.
*** To protect the identity of the potential victims involved, the NHTRC does not disclose specific nationalities referenced in
fewer than three cases.

LOCATION OF POTENTIAL TRAFFICKING CASES (WHERE KNOWN)*

*These maps only reflect cases in which the location of the potential trafficking was known. Some cases may involve more
than one location and are not reflected in this map.
*****

Important Note: The data displayed in this report was generated based on information communicated to the National Human
Trafficking Resource Center hotline via phone, email, and online tip report. The NHTRC cannot verify the accuracy of the
information reported. This is not a comprehensive report on the scale or scope of human trafficking within the state. These
statistics may be subject to change as new information emerges.