Human Trafficking in the Carolinas: Local Trends and What You Should Know
Human trafficking can feel like a “somewhere else” problem—until you realize how often it intersects with everyday life in the Carolinas. It shows up in big cities and small towns, in rural labor settings and in busy tourism corridors, and increasingly online. For families, faith communities, schools, employers, and neighbors, the most powerful starting point is simple: learn what trafficking actually is, what patterns are showing up locally, and what to do if you’re worried about someone.
At Steps to Hope, we believe awareness should always lead to action—safe, informed, and survivor-centered action. This guide is designed to help our community in North Carolina and South Carolina understand what’s happening in our region, where vulnerabilities often appear, and how to connect people to help.
What “human trafficking” really means
Human trafficking is the exploitation of a person for labor or commercial sex through force, fraud, or coercion. It can involve adults or minors, and it can be hidden behind situations that look “normal” on the surface—an older boyfriend controlling a teen, a job that turns into debt bondage, a runaway being offered a place to stay “no strings attached,” or a worker whose documents are taken and whose movement is restricted.
A key point Steps to Hope emphasizes: trafficking isn’t defined by movement across borders. Many victims are exploited close to home, sometimes by someone they already know.
Why the Carolinas are vulnerable: the regional context
North Carolina officials have noted several factors that contribute to risk in the state: major interstate highways, a large and transient military population, rural agricultural areas with demand for cheap labor, and other conditions that traffickers exploit. While every community is different, these risk factors help explain why trafficking can surface both in urban centers and in rural economies.
In South Carolina, statewide efforts have increasingly focused on prevention and frontline training in transit, hospitality, and public-facing venues—places where community members might spot red flags and connect someone to help.
At Steps to Hope, we translate this into a practical takeaway: trafficking is often connected to opportunity and access—busy corridors, seasonal tourism, high-demand labor sectors, and online recruitment.
What the data is saying right now
Because trafficking is underreported and often hidden, no single dataset captures the full picture. Still, recent reporting offers important signals:
South Carolina (2025): The South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force annual report states that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division reported 315 human trafficking tips across 41 of 46 counties in 2025; 86% involved sex trafficking. The report also notes 323 victims identified, including 234 children and youth, and a 48% increase in identified adult victims.
North Carolina: A recent press release from the North Carolina Department of Administration reported that state-funded victim services agencies served 507 trafficking survivors across North Carolina during fiscal year 2024–2025.
Southeastern North Carolina: A January 2026 local report noted a rise in calls for help, with Five14 Revolution reporting 565 hotline calls in 2025, its highest ever.
Steps to Hope shares these numbers not to alarm, but to clarify: this is not rare, and it’s not isolated.
Local “hotspots” (and what that really means)
When people hear “hotspot,” they often imagine one neighborhood or one type of place. In reality, trafficking risk clusters around where people are moving, working, or seeking shelter, and where anonymity is easier.
In the Carolinas, those patterns commonly include:
1) Transportation corridors and travel hubs
Major interstates and highways are frequently cited as part of the broader risk landscape in North Carolina, alongside other contributing factors. In South Carolina, statewide initiatives have targeted “major highways” for awareness and outreach.
2) Tourism and seasonal surges
Tourism can increase demand for commercial sex and create anonymity for exploiters—particularly in areas with high visitor turnover. South Carolina’s report highlights outreach to hospitality-adjacent locations and frontline transportation workers.
3) Labor exploitation in vulnerable workforces
North Carolina has specifically cited rural agricultural areas and the demand for cheap labor as a contributor to trafficking risk.
4) Online recruitment everywhere
Traffickers often recruit online, particularly targeting young people or those experiencing instability. While the venues shift over time, national hotline data continues to emphasize that trafficking is not limited to one physical location.
Important note from Steps to Hope: naming “hotspots” should never turn into profiling communities or assuming guilt. The goal is to understand where vulnerability increases so that prevention, training, and resources can follow.
Signs and red flags: what to look for (without guessing)
No single sign “proves” trafficking—but patterns can raise concern, especially when they stack together:
Someone seems monitored, controlled, or unable to speak for themselves
Sudden changes in behavior: anxiety, depression, fearfulness, “scripted” responses
Working unusually long hours, living where they work, or not controlling their pay/ID
Signs of physical abuse or untreated medical needs
A minor with an older “partner,” unexplained gifts, or frequent hotel-related activity
Frequent moves, isolation, or being cut off from friends/family
Steps to Hope encourages a cautious mindset: observe, document what you safely can, and connect to professionals—don’t confront suspected traffickers yourself.
What to do if you suspect trafficking
This is where awareness becomes real community protection. Steps to Hope recommends a simple, safety-first approach:
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline (confidential, 24/7):
Call 1-888-373-7888
Text 233733 (often listed as “BEFREE”)
Online chat/report options are also available.
If the situation involves a child, consider contacting local child protection resources as well; some NC organizations emphasize reporting suspected abuse/neglect through appropriate channels in addition to hotline options.
Reach out to a trusted local nonprofit network (like Steps to Hope) for survivor-centered guidance and connections to services.
If you’re unsure whether something “counts,” you can still call the hotline for advice. Steps to Hope wants every community member to know: asking questions is allowed, and you don’t need “proof” to seek guidance.
Resources available nearby
Here are practical starting points in and around the Carolinas:
National Human Trafficking Hotline (nationwide, confidential): call/text/chat options listed above.
North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission: statewide coordination, reports, and resources.
**North Carolina Department of Administration human trafficking resources: state information and hotline directions.
South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force: data, reports, and statewide initiatives.
South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: educational resources and support information.
And of course, Steps to Hope is committed to being a local connector—helping community members understand warning signs, supporting survivor-centered pathways to care, and strengthening the network of services that makes long-term recovery possible.
How Steps to Hope helps the Carolinas fight trafficking
Trafficking thrives where people feel isolated, unseen, and unsupported. Steps to Hope’s role is to help reverse that—by building community awareness, encouraging safe reporting, supporting prevention education, and connecting individuals to trusted, trauma-informed resources.
That might look like:
Hosting awareness events and practical trainings for churches, schools, and civic groups
Sharing up-to-date regional information and verified resources
Partnering with local organizations that provide shelter, counseling, legal support, and advocacy
Creating “low-barrier” pathways for people to ask for help without fear or shame
If you’re part of a business, school, or organization in North Carolina or South Carolina and want to bring training or awareness materials to your team, Steps to Hope can help you plan a program that’s appropriate, sensitive, and actionable.
A final word: informed communities save lives
The most important truth Steps to Hope wants you to remember is this: human trafficking is preventable, intervention is possible, and recovery is real—but it requires a community that knows what to look for and where to turn.
If you take one step after reading this article, make it this: save the hotline number, and share it with your circle. That single action can create a lifeline when someone needs it most.