According to the U.S. government, human trafficking is a crime that involves forcing a person to provide labor or services, or engage in sex acts. The victims are often children.

Tonya Turner is committed to ending the practice. She is the CEO and president of UNITAS, a nonprofit based in New York with a focus on that mission. She joined us for this Women Wednesday.

Turner said that the issue got worse during the pandemic, especially because young people spent a lot of time online and on their phones, which gave them more exposure to traffickers.

According to Turner, signs that a youth might be trafficked include missing class or a change in their grades, having multiple cell phones or hotel keys, dating older partners and suddenly wearing more expensive clothing.

For more information, visit UNITAS.ngo.