Is Human Trafficking Actually What You Think It Is?

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “human trafficking?” Perhaps it’s a cluster of terrified people from another country, held captive and huddled in a shipping container. Or someone kidnapped and whisked across borders to a life of abuse and clandestine servitude.

While these examples certainly fit the description of human trafficking, they do not represent the majority of cases — certainly not the cases that happen right here in Wyoming. Because cases of human trafficking are either sensationalized by the media or mislabeled as some other kind of crime, many people don’t understand the myriad kinds of exploitation that human trafficking encompasses.

Uprising, a nonprofit based in Sheridan, is dedicated to expanding the understanding of this complex and serious issue in the state.