Labor trafficking study launches in Nebraska as too little is known about these crimes

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — A roughly $500,000 grant is helping Nebraska researchers better understand labor trafficking and how to combat it.

The Trafficking Victim’s Protection Act defines the crime as recruiting someone through force, fraud or coercion.

Victims are then subjected to involuntary servitude, debt bondage, or slavery.

UNO researchers will spend two years learning how these crimes are carried out.

They’ll also focus on the challenges in detecting and responding to these cases.

Dr. Teresa Kulig is one of the study’s leaders.  She said, “Although some research on labor trafficking exists, very little is known about these crimes, including the harms victims experience, pathways of exploitation, and the ongoing challenges that victims face once they are identified. Thanks to the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, we now have the resources to examine labor trafficking in our state and lay the foundation for future work in this area.”

If you or someone you know is being taken advantage of you’re urged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.