Ahead of Indy 500, residents urged to look for signs of human trafficking

As hundreds of thousands of race fans descend upon the Circle City for this weekend's Indianapolis 500, local authorities are reminding residents of the signs and dangers of human trafficking. 

 The influx of people doesn't necessarily indicate an increase in human trafficking cases, but Indianapolis Metropolitan Police and the Indiana attorney general's office used the opportunity to remind residents to be on the lookout for the signs of human trafficking during a panel discussion and presentation at the Speedway United Methodist Church Wednesday evening. 

The United Nations defines human trafficking as the recruitment, transportation or harboring of a person who has been forced, coerced or deceived into commercial sex or labor. There are two types of human trafficking: labor and sex trafficking. 

In 2017, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 93 cases of human trafficking in Indiana, up slightly from the previous year's total of 88. Primarily cases of sex trafficking, the victims were predominantly adult women from the U.S. 

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Jon Daggy, an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police investigator, said victims and traffickers don’t fit any kind of profile — they can be male or female, young or old.

One trafficker he has seen, for example, appeared to be completely innocuous: friendly personality, big, white beard.

“He just looks like somebody’s grandpa,” Daggy said.

According to the Indiana attorney general's office, victims of sex trafficking can exhibit the following signs:

• They are likely unaware of their surroundings.
• They are constantly monitored and unable to move freely.
• They look to someone else when they’re spoken to.
• They refuse to speak.
• They’re traveling with a group.
• They’re a young person traveling with an adult who does not appear to be a parent.
• They appear to be dressed “older” than their actual age or in a manner inappropriate for weather conditions.
• They have some kind of “branding,” such as a tattoo or necklace with their trafficker’s name.

Victims of labor trafficking sometimes present similar signs but often work and live in the same place; receive little to no pay; may not be able to take breaks; rely on their employer for transportation, food or housing; and may have signs of physical abuse or injury that go untreated.

As hundreds of thousands of people descend upon Indianapolis, such as for Sunday's race, investigators say they are likely to see an influx of buyers and sellers.

For example, during the 2012 Super Bowl, authorities launched 68 human trafficking investigations, Daggy said.

Changes are underway to allow Hoosiers to better fight the issue at home.

This summer, a statewide agency will be launched to help combat human trafficking by working with agencies across all of Indiana’s 92 counties, said Denise Robinson, chief counsel of the investigations division for the Indiana attorney general's office.

Nationally, President Donald Trump signed a bill that would crack down on human trafficking online, allowing for websites to be held liable in criminal and civil courts if they knowingly facilitate sex trafficking.

The recent closure of Backpage.com, a site notorious for harboring traffickers, presents an issue for investigators and prosecutors, Daggy said. On one hand, closing the website was the ethical thing to do. On the other, it prevents investigators from accessing what could be key evidence in an otherwise shaky case. 

Regardless, traffickers will still find a way, he said, likely creating similar sites offshore.

“It’s going to come back in some shape or form,” he said.

While local law enforcement is always on the lookout for traffickers, Robinson said it's important for residents to know the signs not just this weekend but year-round.

“If you see something, say something," Robinson said, “so that we can do our jobs and hold the human traffickers accountable.”

In cases involving minors, call the Department of Child Services and mention specifically that you believe they are a victim of trafficking. DCS' toll-free hotline can be reached at 1-800-800-5556.

To report a case of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. You can also submit a report online via humantraffickinghotline.org. 

USA TODAY contributed to this story.

Call IndyStar reporter Holly Hays at (317) 444-6156. Follow her on Twitter: @hollyvhays.