It’s one thing to acknowledge a problem, but quite another to know what to do about it – especially when it comes to human trafficking.

“We know that it is right in our backyard; it is quite prevalent,” said Alexis Mitchell. “It’s not just here in the Four Corners region but all over the state of Colorado, as well as the United States and globally.”

Mitchell is the community education coordinator of Sexual Assault Services Organization. The grassroots organization in Durango at 701 S. Camino Del Rio, Suite 312 provides support and services to survivors of sexual assault and violence.

Sexual Assault Services is signing up hair, face and nail salons in the Durango area to participate in a free class designed to prepare people who might interact with victims of the human trafficking industry. The training for workers in the cosmetology field also is being offered around the nation.

“When we saw and heard of the success rate elsewhere, we decided, ‘Why not do that here for our community, help our people,’” Mitchell said.

“There are a lot of factors about this area that lend themselves to being a kind of a highway, or having a higher frequency of trafficking, such as the agricultural industry, tourist industry, the flow of people on our highways and our airports. There’s a conduit coming through. But the reality is that it is everywhere,” said Laura Latimer, executive director of Sexual Assault Services.

“We have the largest international airport within a 500-mile radius, so all these factors really just make it to where we are a really big hub for all different types of trafficking all throughout the state,” Mitchell said.

“We are also very sensitive to the phenomenon of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives, being that we are so close to Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute. Knowing that is happening in our community in those populations, that people are being targeted, we want to be mindful and watching out for these things that happen as well,” Latimer said.

The free class covers many topics, first explaining what human trafficking is, whether it be child, sex or labor trafficking.

“A human trafficking survivor can be of any age, any gender, of any lifestyle or background. There are some age groups and demographics in general that are far more at risk, more vulnerable to being targeted sexually,” Mitchell said.

According to the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking, which partners with Sexual Assault Services Organization in offering the workshop, cosmetologists are in a unique position to identify potential trafficking situations and offer support and resources to survivors. For some, the salon might be one of the only places they are allowed to go without supervision. For others, their trafficker might be close by, offering suggestions. In either case, cosmetologists can identify and discreetly pass along resources or offer a safe space.

While the class offers information to raise awareness and help people acknowledge the problem, it also takes steps to offers strategies and resources on how people can become an “active bystander” and perhaps help someone in a dire situation. The goal is to help people identify what human trafficking looks like, and who to contact in cases where they see red flags.

Ways to identify potential red flags that may surface at a salon include paying attention to both the client and who is interacting with the client.

Is the client unable to make eye contact? Is someone being responsible for the cash involved, holding their money and identification?

Are they not letting the client communicate? Are they saying what somebody’s hair must look like rather than the client being able to speak for themselves? Does the client have numerous inconsistencies around their story?

Is the person malnourished or injured? Are they claiming to be just visiting the area and don’t know where they are? Any of these, Mitchell said, could potentially be an indicator of child or sex trafficking.

“We like to use the verbiage, ‘This could potentially be an indicator,’ it doesn’t always mean someone is being trafficked, but do look out for this,” she said.

Potential scripts are offered.

“We try to give them the tools: first look for the indicators and then try to form some script on how to communicate and see if they are in danger and how they can support them.”

In the past several years, the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking in Denver has visited Durango twice a year to offer similar training to local law enforcement.

“We have a pretty good partnership with our local law enforcement,” Latimer said, noting that some in that field have asked Sexual Assault Services for additional training.

While two hair salons in Durango have signed up to date, Mitchell emphasized that Sexual Assault Services is willing to take the free workshop to other interested salons as well as people in other fields, such as the restaurant industry.

“We will also do this for any other type of partner agencies working with at-risk youths, so it’s really for anybody who thinks they have any interactions with this population,” Latimer said.

To find out more about Sexual Assault Services, the free training for the cosmetology industry or other organizations, contact Alexis Mitchell by calling (970) 259-3074, or by email to alexis@durangosaso.org.

SASO also offers a free and confidential 24-hour support line at (970) 247-5400 for survivors of sexual violence.

Additionally, the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking, combathumantrafficking.org, also operates a statewide, 24/7 human trafficking hot line: call (866) 455-5075 or text “Help” to (720) 999-9724.