“Never has a parent wished they would have been less protective of their missing child.”

Those are the words of my colleague, Bill Hickman, CEO of CSI Corporate Security and Investigations . Bill often works with families whose children have gone missing in human trafficking schemes. With January being named Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Bill’s words are now more timely than ever.

Too often, the dangers of human trafficking go unnoticed. However, this is changing because of several high-profile cases, including the child sex trafficking convictions of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell and the new Justice Department investigation that found more than 100 farm workers in Georgia were trapped in a modern-day slavery ring.

While these examples made headlines for the sheer scope of their cruelty, the sad fact is that most human trafficking in the U.S. happens under the radar, including right here in Pennsylvania. In recent years, more than 3,000 victims of human trafficking have been reported in Pennsylvania, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH).

Child safety advocates such as Hickman’s investigative team and I are trained to recognize the signs of human trafficking, and we know what to do when we see them. But we also know that you can’t take proactive steps to help others if you don’t know what you’re looking for.

So, what does human trafficking look like, and what should you do if you think you see it?

Individuals who are being trafficked may show physical signs of abuse, such as bruises, malnourishment, skin diseases, poor dental health or unusual tattoos or other forms of branding.

Behavior-wise, trafficked individuals tend to ignore eye contact and may not be allowed to speak for themselves. If they do speak, they usually avoid direct answers to questions or divulging any identifying details. They also frequently lack identifying documents such as a driver’s license, worker ID or Social Security card.

Who is most susceptible to being trafficked?

Traffickers often prey on individuals from marginalized groups or those who lack support systems, including runaway and homeless youth, LGBTQ+ individuals who feel unsupported, the disabled, low-income individuals, substance abusers and addicts, and undocumented migrants and immigrants.

Human trafficking often occurs in plain sight, under the watchful eye of a trafficker who is managing the experience. “Grooming” by traffickers can occur in person or online. In addition, people who have previously experienced trauma or manipulation are unfortunately more likely to be targeted by traffickers who take advantage of their insecurities.

Some victims of human trafficking actively seek assistance, while others do not. But why would some victims of human trafficking not want to be identified or helped? Often, they have been manipulated into believing that their traffickers have their best interests in mind — or, worse, that if they say or do anything that brings attention to the trafficker, the victims themselves or their families will be hurt or punished.

Equally important to recognizing signs of trafficking is knowing what to do if you suspect you are witnessing someone being trafficked.

One option is to contact law enforcement and make them aware of the situation. Another is to make the individual aware that there are resources they can contact if they need help, such as the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or text “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733. If you frequently visit hotels, rest stops or large events — all of which are magnets for human trafficking — you may want to carry cards with the NHTH number that you can leave on bulletin boards or in restrooms.

Perhaps most importantly: How can you help someone vulnerable from falling prey to human traffickers?

Ultimately, preventing human trafficking comes down to helping the people in our lives feel safe, seen, welcomed, appreciated and cared for. The better connected people are to a loving and supportive social network that values them as individuals and helps them as they deal with life’s challenges, the less likely they’ll be to seek outside validation from manipulators who only want to capitalize on and exploit their insecurities.

Each of us has a responsibility to protect the most vulnerable among us from being targeted by human traffickers who greedily profit from their use and abuse.

Like the parents in Bill Hickman’s life lesson, we can’t go back in time to be more protective of others, but we can start to be more aware, proactive and supportive of those most susceptible to being trafficked today.

Your genuine kindness to someone else could be the ray of light that stops human trafficking in its tracks.

Lisa Fox is CEO of The Bradley Center, where she has worked since 1999 to help children recover from trauma.

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