According to Louisiana law, human trafficking is when a person knowingly recruits, harbors, transports, provides, solicits, sells, purchases, receives, isolates, entices, obtains or maintains the use of another person through force, fraud, or coercion — for labor or sex. If the person is under 21 years of age, it does not matter if the person is being maintained through force, fraud, or coercion.

Sex trafficking is the crime of using force, fraud or coercion to induce another individual into commercial sex acts. In Louisiana, it is not required to demonstrate the use of force, fraud, or coercion when the victim is under the age of 21. This means that any person in Louisiana under the age of 21 who is engaging in commercial sex acts is a victim of a crime, not a criminal.
Sex trafficking in Louisiana takes many forms including familial trafficking, third-party controlled-trafficking, or even a child exchanging sex or a sex for anything of value (survival trafficking).

Labor Trafficking is the crime of using force, fraud, or coercion to induce another individual into labor or services. Common types of sites where labor trafficking occurs in Louisiana include the seafood industry, agriculture, aquaculture, restaurants, construction, and the drug trade. Labor trafficking can happen both in the regular economy or the so-called gray economy.
Labor trafficking victims may also experience sex trafficking or other forms of sexual abuse.

• The person is disoriented, confused, or showing signs of mental or physical abuse.
• The person cannot freely contact friends or family.
• The person is fearful, timid, or overly submissive.
• The person was forced to perform commercial sexual acts.
• There is evidence of a sexually explicit online advertisement.
• The person was recruited for a job but was forced to engage in work without compensation.
• The person does not have freedom of movement.
• The person lives in their workplace.
• The person lacks personal possessions such as identification or money and appears not to have a stable living situation.
• The person is often in the company of someone to whom he or she defers to speak on his or her behalf.
• The person is closely monitored at all times.

Prostitution is an indicator of sex trafficking. Anyone under the age of 21 engage in commercial sex acts are victims of sex trafficking, not prostitutes. Adults involved in prostitution should be screened for force fraud, or coercion during screening.

Human trafficking and smuggling are not the same. Human trafficking is exploitation-based and does not require movement from one place to another. An individual can live and be trafficked in the same neighborhood. Smuggling refers to illegally transporting or moving an individual trans-nationally.

Gender: The vast majority of reported victims are female (around 84-91% in recent years).
Age: Minors (ages 17 and under) make up the largest proportion of victims identified, accounting for approximately 70-85% of cases.
Type of Trafficking: Sex trafficking is the predominant form, accounting for roughly 86-95% of cases. Labor trafficking, while a serious issue, is identified in a much smaller percentage of reported cases (around 2-3%).
Race/Ethnicity: Victims are most commonly identified as African American or White, with African Americans being disproportionately represented among minors. For example, in 2024, 46% of victims identified as African American and 41% as White.
Vulnerability Factors: Traffickers often target individuals experiencing homelessness, poverty, unstable home lives (including those in the foster care system), substance abuse issues, or those who have a history of abuse or neglect. LGBTQ+ youth are also at a heightened risk.

Trust your instincts and anonymously report suspected human trafficking to our 24/7 tip line. Call: 337-491-SWLA