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Far too often, human trafficking happens right under the noses of people. In other cases, individuals who are targeted by human traffickers may not be able to recognize what's transpiring.

After all, human traffickers posing as friends or romantic partners is far from a rare occurrence; in additional cases, some people even suffer trafficking at the hands of their own relatives.

At the end of the day, the rampant nature of human trafficking is all the more reason to educate the general public. When more awareness is raised about human trafficking, people can use this knowledge to arm and protect themselves.

Widespread ignorance about human trafficking, on the other hand, only allows perpetrators to thrive. One example of this is Kyron Lajon Richardson, the 29-year-old Florida man arrested for trafficking a 21-year-old Arkansas woman across state lines.

Another cautionary tale

Richardson's arrest occurred on Thursday, leaving him facing four different felony charges. Each of these felonies pertains to Richardson grooming the Arkansas woman. This grooming occurred via social media, with Richardson manipulating her to move to Miami.

Along with sending her one-way airfare to Miami, Richardson told this young woman that upon her arrival, he would help her access a beautiful life.

Instead, when the 21-year-old arrived in Miami, Richardson put her into a home with three additional women living there; naturally, Richardson did not hesitate to subject these women to violence.

He furthermore forced the 21-year-old herself to engage in exotic dancing and prostitution, collecting all the money for himself.

The Miami man stands charged with two human trafficking counts, a count of getting support from prostitution proceeds, and another count of illegal communication use.

The woman's escape from Richardson

Unlike many victims of human trafficking to this day, the 21-year-old eventually managed to escape. This happened thanks to her sending a text message to her father on Thanksgiving, with the message including Richardson's address.

After the 21-year-old's father received this text, he informed law enforcement in Miami.

Upon Richardson's arrest, police discovered $18,000, along with multiple firearms, at his residence. This trafficker remains incarcerated at a detention center in Miami-Dade without a bond set.

Anyone who wishes to report what they believe to be human trafficking can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline via phone at 1 (888) 373-7888 or by text at 233733.