Victims of trafficking can be found in a variety of situations. You can play a role in recognising potential patterns and behaviours of human trafficking. Reporting concerns is the first step in identifying human trafficking in your community and can prevent individuals being recruited into exploitative situations.

Not all the information listed below is present in all situations involving trafficking. While the presence or absence of these observations does not confirm or rule out human trafficking, their presence should prompt reporting to trained professionals or law enforcement immediately.

• Appear afraid, anxious or withdrawn.
• Appear disoriented or unfamiliar with surroundings
• Be deceived about salary or working conditions.
• Be threatened with violence, humiliation, blackmail, or excessive debts that do not decrease. 
• Have limited or no social interaction
• Suffer injuries that appear to be the result of control measures.
• Have no control of their identity or travel documents, and be distrustful of authorities.
• Have no access to their earnings
• Be unable to negotiate working conditions
• Work excessively long hours over long periods
• Have limited contact with their families or with people outside of their immediate environment
• Think that they are bonded by debt

Not all signs listed are present in every human trafficking situation, and the presence or absence of any of the indicators is not necessarily proof of human trafficking.