Common Myths & Misconceptions 

Dispelling Common Myths

Survivors and Networks of Care identified the need for better information to address myths and misconceptions about human trafficking, which can harm survivors or impact the care they receive. Below are some common myths and facts about human trafficking:

Myth: Human trafficking always involves physical violence or holding the person captive.

Fact: Traffickers will also use manipulation, coercion, threats, and other types of abuse to control the survivor and force them to stay in the trafficking situation.

Myth: Traffickers are strangers who kidnap their victims.

Fact: Many traffickers are known to survivors, often begin as romantic partners, or friends, or are family members. Exploitation can start within trusted relationships, making it more difficult to recognize it and seek help.

Myth: All human trafficking involves commercial sex.

Fact: Sex trafficking is one form of human trafficking, but there are other forms, including labour trafficking and forced marriage.

Myth: Survivors must share their full story to prove or heal from their trauma.

Fact: Survivors do not owe anyone the details of their experience and should never be pressured to share or to receive help or resources. Everyone's healing process is unique.

Myth: Survivors' experiences define who they are.

Fact: Survivors are not defined by their experiences. They are multidimensional individuals with their own strengths, identities, and experiences beyond trafficking. 

Myth: Only women and girls are trafficked.

Fact: Human trafficking affects people of all genders, including men and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals.

Myth: Survivors should be completely abstinent from substance use.

Fact: Some survivors may use substances as a coping mechanism or may have begun using while being trafficked. Harm-reduction has been found helpful to create a safer environment for people who engage in substance use along with providing non-judgmental support.

Myth: Medication or counselling are signs of weakness.

Fact: Seeking prescribed medication for mental health or accessing counselling/psychotherapy can greatly benefit many survivors. Seeking help is a sign of strength, and every individual’s healing journey is unique.

Understanding the Complexities of Exiting

Traffickers use different tactics to control and manipulate, including isolation, dependency, and abuse - emotional, psychological, financial, and physical. They create a bond or attachment with the survivor, making it difficult to recognize the harm and seek help. Survivors often feel powerless, controlled, and unsure of how to leave or where to turn.

Exiting a trafficking situation involves overcoming personal, systemic, and social barriers. Personal barriers include (and are not limited to) shame, stigma (in the form of self-criticism), trauma, mental health or substance use issues, and a lack of awareness or access to supports. Systemic barriers include poverty, lack of affordable housing, a criminal record, navigating harmful systems that are not properly equipped or trained to support survivors, and discrimination from service providers. Social barriers include shame and stigma from the community, a lack of understanding about trafficking, and broken relationships with support networks due to traffickers isolating survivors. Survivors may fear that their families and friends won’t help, further complicating their ability to leave. Traffickers exploit these barriers to maintain control and prevent escape (Centre to End Human Trafficking, 2021, p. 37-40).