January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. This multi-billion-dollar industry proliferates largely because of ignorance and policies that allow it to flourish.

There are many misperceptions about what constitutes human trafficking. This is attributable in large part to the images that Hollywood and other forms of popular culture have created. Traffickers do not belong to only certain ethnic groups.

Traffickers are constantly changing their methods. They use ignorance about their crime to their advantage. That is why we at our local anti-human trafficking initiative, Western Slope Against Trafficking, and the Colorado Human Trafficking Council urge community members to get trained to recognize human trafficking and support efforts to remove conditions that contribute to the growth of this crime.

The exploitation of human beings for sex and labor trafficking has increased with the vulnerabilities created by displacement because of climate change and civil strife around the world. Lack of affordable housing also contributes to susceptibility to victimization.

As consumers, we owe it to the individuals who are being exploited by disreputable employers to know the working conditions of those who make the products we buy and the foods we eat.

Western Slope Against Trafficking is hosting events around the Western Slope this month. Go to www.westernslopeagainsttrafficking.com to find out more and/or to request a training and to get involved.

Or go to Polaris for its online training at polarisproject.org/training. The Colorado Human Trafficking Council hosts thisishumantrafficking.com, an award-winning campaign to inform the community about this crime.

Tom Acker

Western Slope Against Trafficking