Pandemic fuels increase in human trafficking
FORT MYERS, Fla. — Well before the coronavirus pandemic, Florida has ranked high for human trafficking.
Now, traffickers are taking advantage of the pandemic, putting victims and potential victims at an increased risk, experts warn.
“Traffickers tend to be master manipulators,” said Linda Oberhaus, the CEO of The Shelter for Abused Women & Children in Collier County.
As COVID-19 continues to devastate hospitals, families and industries worldwide, the fallout is also fueling job losses and shutdowns, inadvertently opening the door to more exploitation. Those factors combined with people spending more time online are contributing to the already perpetual problem.