Anti-Trafficking Understanding Human Trafficking

7 Human Trafficking Myths––and the Real Harm They Cause

By Paula Cornell | Content Marketing & Social Media Strategist at Love Justice International September 30, 2025

You’ve probably heard at least one of the many rumor mills around human trafficking—white vans, zip ties on car doors, underground tunnels, etc. But what do these myths cost?

Human trafficking is a deeply sensitive subject. Horrifying stories from survivors along with the sheer number of victims estimated in the world today—around 50 million—can bring a lot of sadness and fear. It can be difficult to sort through what is myth and what is truth, because trafficking covers a broad range of experiences, and just because something is less common doesn’t mean it never happens.

Even so, when misconceptions dominate the dialogue, it drives resources and attention away from those who need it most, shaping unhelpful policies and distorting how we look for victims.

Here are some of the most dangerous myths about human trafficking and the real costs of believing them.

1. Myth: Trafficking = kidnapping

Truth: The vast majority of trafficking involves coercion and deception by acquaintances, partners, or family—not stranger abductions. It more often happens through a grooming period where a trafficker builds trust with their victim, and that is the critical time to notice and intervene.

Cost: Fixating on kidnappings blinds us to the far more common exploitation happening in plain sight. But, when we realize how it most often happens, we are able to catch the real perpetrators.

2. Myth: Strangers are snatching women from parking lots (zip ties, stickers, white vans).

Truth: Real cases rarely look like this. These viral rumors are often sparked by a lot of assumptions without evidence.

Cost: These rumors create panic while the subtle red flags go unnoticed—leaving real victims unsupported. It’s good to be cautious and aware of your surroundings to stay safe, but it can be harmful to jump to conclusions and then broadcast it on social media. But, when we shift our attention from sensational rumors to subtle warning signs, we’re better equipped to notice when someone is truly at risk.

3. Myth: Victims are targeted at random, especially “pretty young girls.”

Truth: Traffickers look for vulnerabilities—like poverty, migration status, foster care, or addiction. One Reddit user described it brilliantly: “Human trafficking is, disgustingly, a business, and it'd be bad for business to grab some random girl that might have a rich family to look for her, and to do so in front of witnesses.”

Cost: This misconception diverts attention from those most at risk, who already have fewer resources and less protection—the ones that no one would notice if they went missing, or no one would believe them if they spoke up. But, when we understand who is most vulnerable, we can direct resources and protection to the people who need them most.

4. Myth: All trafficking is sex trafficking.

women-working-2 Truth: If you’ve been following our content, you probably know that labor trafficking is a huge part of human trafficking. Forced marriage is another large category, and trafficking for organs is another (though less data exists on it at this time).

Cost: When funding and laws focus only on sex trafficking, whole groups of victims are left invisible and unprotected. But, when we recognize other forms of trafficking alongside sex trafficking, we can expand justice to every victim, not just some.

5. Myth: Trafficking requires movement across borders or state lines.

Truth: At Love Justice, we define trafficking as moving a person into slavery. While this does happen across borders, it can also happen within a single community.

Cost: If we think trafficking only happens when people move across borders, we risk missing cases happening entirely within local communities. Both contexts matter, and focusing on just one leaves gaps in protection. But, when we see exploitation as the defining factor, we can fight trafficking both within our neighborhoods and at international borders.

6. Myth: If a victim has a phone or sees family, it’s not trafficking.

Truth: Psychological control and manipulation can be stronger than locks and chains.

Cost: Survivors are dismissed because their situation doesn’t “look” like trafficking, leaving them without help or credibility when they do speak up. But, when we grasp the power of psychological control, we become more compassionate listeners and better advocates for survivors.

7. Myth: Victims always want to escape.

Truth: Many victims don’t realize what’s happening to them; others stay to protect family, out of shame, or because they think no one will believe them. One survivor put it: “I didn't even recognize that's what happened to me for over a decade … my brain blamed myself.”

Cost: Strategies that rely on victims self-identifying—like airport posters—leave huge gaps for those who don’t see themselves as trafficked. Lingering deception about what happened can also make it difficult to prosecute traffickers even after the victim is rescued. But, when we realize that not all victims identify as victims, we can create strategies that reach them where they are.

Discerning truth to make an impact

Human trafficking isn’t just one crime; it’s a web of complex crimes and abuses. Each person’s experience looks different, and oversimplifying makes conversations polarizing: some people dismiss trafficking as “just rumors,” while others connect every unsettling encounter in public to it. Both extremes pull focus away from effective responses.

If we can more accurately discern truth from fear-based urban legends, we will be far better equipped to help those who need it most.

Our staff are trained to recognize the signs of human trafficking that other people miss. We continuously hone our strategy to achieve the greatest impact and efficiency we can possibly have.

Since inception, Love Justice has intercepted over 90,000 people to stop them from entering dangerous trafficking situations. We have a big goal to reach that next major milestone of 100,000 before the end of the year. Will you help us protect freedom for those people? Partner with us by giving at the button below.

*All data and statistics current at the date and time of publishing.

About The Author

Paula Cornell | Content Marketing & Social Media Strategist at Love Justice International

Paula is from Seattle and joined Love Justice shortly after graduating from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in journalism and public interest communications. Prior to college, she spent several years volunteering with Youth With A Mission, where she heard and witnessed incredible stories from around the world of healing and redemption in the face of injustice. Seeing how stories like these could inspire hope, bring understanding, and spur people into action, she began to dream of how stories could change the world. This dream eventually led her to return to college to pursue a writing degree and delivered her into the hands of Love Justice, where she is happily learning to write with an awesome team of people for a cause that she cares deeply about.