Delegates highlight Human Trafficking Awareness Month

Posted by Donna Wickerd | Jan 25, 2024 | News |

WINDOW ROCK – The Missing and Murdered Diné Relatives Task Force is using Human Trafficking Awareness Month to highlight the often-silent issue of human trafficking within the Navajo Nation.

“We want teachers, advocates, hospitals, and law enforcement to recognize trafficking,” Delegate Amber Crotty explained.

Crotty talked about human trafficking during a Human Trafficking Awareness Gathering Jan. 22. Participants wore blue and talked about what human trafficking looks like in the Nation, as well as how the task force works with various agencies that also target human trafficking. Highlighting January as both Human Trafficking and Stalking Awareness Month, Crotty acknowledged the need for a different lens to view this complex problem.

Prioritizing the safety and well-being of human trafficking survivors is crucial to combating this crime. A victim-centered approach minimizes additional trauma, avoids unnecessary punishment, and provides vital support and stability. These fosters trust and encourages survivors to participate actively in investigations, empowering law enforcement to detect better, investigate, and prosecute perpetrators.

“We help victims, witnesses, and survivors,” said Krystina Carviso, a victim advocate, told participants. “You do not need a police report to get help. We have offices in Flagstaff, Williams, Page, Kayenta, Tuba City, Chinle, and St. Michaels. Everything is 100% confidential.”

“It’s through the work of advocates that we provide a safe space for our children,” Crotty said as she shared a list of behaviors that are clues human trafficking is going on.

Behaviors to look out for include fearfulness, anxiety, depression, isolation, deferring to another person to speak for them, deprivation of food or sleep, confinement, and restricting contact with others.

Crotty dispelled the myth that trafficking solely resembles the dramatic portrayals in movies. Instead, she emphasized its insidious nature, often rooted in coercion and manifesting in ways not readily apparent. From guardians exploiting children for drugs or safety to the recent recovery home fraud exposed by Operation Rainbow Bridge, she underscored the diverse forms trafficking can take.

Recognizing the importance of education and awareness, Crotty outlined initiatives the MMDR Task Force uses to equip communities with the tools to identify and combat trafficking. Training for teachers, advocates, hospitals, and law enforcement aims to expand recognition beyond just sexual assault. In collaboration with advocate organizations, age-appropriate education for children empowers them with knowledge and agency over their bodies.

Crotty also addressed the chilling possibility that many MMDRs may have been victims of trafficking. An MMDR institute at Navajo Technical University will serve as a centralized database and information hub to honor their memory and aid future response efforts.

Finally, acknowledging the growing threat of online predators, Crotty urged vigilance, particularly on social media, where vulnerable youth are targeted.

Crotty’s message resonates with a powerful call to action: to dismantle the veil of silence surrounding human trafficking in the Navajo Nation, to equip communities with knowledge and resources, and to prioritize the safety and well-being of all Diné. Only through collective awareness and proactive measures can the Nation effectively combat this hidden evil and pave the way for a future where homes are truly safe.

Crotty wants to normalize talking about human trafficking.

“How can we be brave enough to have this conversation?” she asked. “Our children need to feel love. We all need to feel love. Perpetrators are weaponizing love; how their targets react tells them if the person is vulnerable.”
Information: www.vwsnaz.org, (928) 856-7676, a 24/7 helpline.