Both federal and Colorado law breaks human trafficking conduct into two broad categories of labor trafficking, or involuntary/labor servitude, and sex trafficking, or sexual servitude. It is important to note that sex trafficking and labor trafficking are not mutually exclusive categories. Sex trafficking victims are exploited for their labor and labor trafficking victims can experience sexual assault as a part of their victimization.

Labor Trafficking

Labor trafficking refers to the exploitation of an individual to perform labor or services through the use of force, fraud or coercion. Labor trafficking occurs in a wide variety of contexts and industries. Some people are forced to work as domestic servants within a single household. Others are forced to harvest crops, while others experience exploitation while working in factories.

Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking involves the exploitation of an individual to engage in commercial sex through force, fraud or coercion. It is important to note that, according to federal and state law, any person under the age of eighteen years of age induced into commercial sex is a victim of sex trafficking and it is not required to prove force, fraud or coercion.