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As long as much of the general public lacks awareness of human trafficking in their communities, perpetrators of these crimes will keep flying under the radar. Thankfully, more communities continue working to inform the public.

People need to understand how trafficking happens, the warning signs, and tactics of predators. Initially, traffickers seek out vulnerability in their targets; then, they look to fill a need or a void.

After the establishment of a bond, abuse and exploitation follow. To maintain this control, traffickers utilize force, along with fraud and coercion. Sadly, it's not an exaggeration to warn that human trafficking happens everywhere, in every town, county, and state.

Thankfully, San Antonio, Texas is taking action to remedy this problem.

A closer look at San Antonio's anti-human trafficking efforts

The San Antonio-based No Child Sold campaign is taking grassroots efforts to prevent and fight human trafficking.

This is why retired Family Protective Services official Chuck Paul is working to stop traffickers before they can build an initial bond with their targets. Thus, Paul and his team are making contact with persons who may be in need of shelter, food, or clothes.

Thanks to the tools at Paul's disposal, he and his team can provide these resources; subsequently, this leaves traffickers without a launchpad to cause even more harm.

On top of this work, the Youth Center of Texas is there to help young women between the ages of 18 and 22 who faced human trafficking. According to president Adriana McKinnon, survivors of trafficking receive access to a variety of services.

These services include group counseling, personal counseling, the provision of legal services, transportation, and case management.

Both Paul and McKinnon advise parents to make sure their kids have the necessary tools and information to remain safe online. This means informing children what they should and shouldn't share online.

Likewise, it never hurts for parents to monitor their children's online activity. This can help parents recognize red flags their kids may otherwise miss.

The bottom line

Taking out human trafficking for good will require collective community efforts. Some great resources to learn more information and join the fight against human trafficking include the following:

• Operation Underground Railroad
• Slavery Free World
• A21

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.