Human trafficking is often imagined as a distant crime, happening in other countries or larger cities. However, Utah itself has some unique risk factors that make human trafficking a real possibility.
With major highways running through the state, a young population and industries that rely heavily on temporary labor, trafficking can happen quietly and often goes unnoticed. The people working closest to the issue say awareness — knowing what trafficking looks like and where it happens — is one of the most effective tools for stopping it.
To understand why these factors matter, it’s important to first define what human trafficking is and how it operates. There are two types of human trafficking: sex trafficking (commercial sex exploitation) and labor trafficking (forced labor, debt bondage, involuntary servitude).
Victims in either case may be children or adults. Common signs of trafficking can include someone who cannot move freely, doesn’t control their identification, is unpaid or paid very little, shows signs of physical abuse, works excessive hours or is fearful of authorities or family contact.
Online ads that promise unrealistic jobs or hide contact details can also be red flags. There is no such thing as a “typical” human trafficker. It can be anyone, of any gender, ethnicity, age or culture.
For those working closest to the issue, these definitions are not abstract. They reflect real people and real experiences across the state.
Colleen Bascom-Taylor is an activist for many issues in Utah, having served in multiple capacities, including as the executive director for Govs. Olene Walker, Jon Huntsman Jr. and Gary Herbert.
“We had a presentation at the state capitol for those young people and many wonderful people who had been hurt and harmed," Bascom-Taylor said. "They stood bravely and talked about what happened to them, how they had been bought and sold for drugs, or raped by a family member or a trusted individual."
Immigrants are among the most vulnerable populations. Without knowledge of the language, culture or customs, they can be targeted by those looking to exploit them.
"When I was at a meeting at the Capitol, I went over to a beautiful Brazilian family, and I said, 'You watch that beautiful 15-year-old daughter.' And they said their case worker had told them the same thing. So that’s pretty telling,” Bascom-Taylor said.
Because trafficking frequently involves movement, transportation hubs have become a key focus for prevention efforts.
Dave Korzep, the assistant director of airport operations, spoke about what Salt Lake City International Airport is doing to prevent human trafficking in and out of Utah.
“Several years ago, the Department of Homeland Security came out with a program called the Blue Campaign ... it’s all about preventing human trafficking through a series of training that all airport employees go through,” Korzep said.
The Salt Lake City International Airport has more than 30,000 people coming through every single day, and according to Korzep, calls about human trafficking occurring there are rare.
There are members of the Salt Lake City Police Department stationed at the airport, and they also follow up with the Department of Homeland Security with their own branch of investigation.
“If you see something out of the ordinary, maybe something in your gut says, 'This doesn’t look right.' Instead of blowing it off, go ahead and make the call,” Korzep said.
Once victims of human trafficking are identified, long-term recovery depends on access to consistent, survivor-centered resources.
Andrea Sherman has worked with the Asian Association of Utah for more than 10 years, with seven years in the human trafficking department.
The agency has been around for almost 50 years, starting in the late 1970s as an organization that helped Asian refugees who came to Utah after the Vietnam War.
The organization's role expanded to working with other foreign national populations. Eventually, the Asian Association of Utah was asked by the federal government to start doing human trafficking work and is now the largest provider of anti-trafficking aftercare services in the state.
“All of the work that we do is putting that person at the center of their decision-making about what they want to accomplish,” Sherman said.
In the last year, the organization has helped about 1,400 survivors of human trafficking across all of its programs. They had 732 new client referrals, up 81% from 2024.
The Asian Association of Utah partners with the Utah attorney general's office to help victims of crime and give them access to the services that they need in order to heal and become more successful.
“For instance, we had one case … It was December of 2023, where we got, from that one case alone that they had investigated, about 93 victims that were identified and referred to our program for services,” Sherman said.
Most of the time, victims find help hotlines through referrals from other people.
“That’s why we also do awareness so that people … can recognize it. So if a trafficking survivor does come through their services, they’re able to recognize some of those risk factors and then be able to connect them to us,” Sherman said.
The program focuses on meeting victims where they’re at. It offers services during the week that anyone can show up to without an appointment, provides connections while victims wait to be assigned a case worker or works directly with a case worker to get personalized care.
Sherman said concentrating on a sphere of influence is one of the best things someone can do to help.
If someone is suspected of being involved in human trafficking, there are a few things to do. If immediate danger is suspected, call 911. For suspected trafficking, call the national hotline 1-888-373-7888 or the Utah tip line 801-200-3443.