South Bay officials launch human trafficking campaign

The countdown to Super Bowl 50 in Santa Clara has begun. On Tuesday, law enforcement agencies are talking about human trafficking and its links to big sporting events. With two months to the big game, Santa Clara county leaders are trying to raise awareness about the crime some call “human rights violations.”

Through the New Year, Santa Clara County residents and some transit riders may notice these posters.

“It’s the type of crime that tends to hide in plain sight and you may think nothing of it,” said Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen.

They aim to bring to light the dark side of major sporting events like the Super Bowl.

“There’s a huge market for selling of people during large events such as the Super Bowl,” said Lauren DaSilva, deputy director for Monterey County Rape Crisis Center.

DaSilva says it’s not just limited to these events, human trafficking happens every day.

Most recently in Monterey County, five people were accused of bringing women into the U.S. from El Salvador, Nicaragua and Mexico. The women were forced to have sex to pay off their debt.

In many of these cases, the Crisis Center says victims are often too afraid to turn against their pimp.

“A lot of people rely on the trafficker for food, water, shelter, clothing,” DaSilva said.

Not all human trafficking involves sex. The Crisis Center considers it modern day slavery because people are forced into labor without pay and against their will.

While young women are often targeted, the national nonprofit group “Polaris Project” says the most vulnerable are children between the ages of 10-16 and foster kids.

“There are about 300,000 children that are at risk of being trafficked in the U.S. every year,” DaSilva said.

Ahead of Super Bowl week, authorities want people to be vigilant and call authorities if they see anything suspicious. You can call authorities or the Crisis Center at 424-HELP.