How to recognize if you are a victim of forced labor

A farmworker was beaten by his employer, who had forced him to work for 20-hour days. When the worker was found taking a 10-minute break, exhausted after days of non-stop work, he would get yelled at and threatened—that if he didn't continue on the job, they would call immigration authorities to deport him.

The above case exemplifies the experiences of those who work in domestic work, restaurants and hotels, agriculture or other sectors.

Victims in the agricultural sector are men, women and children legally brought to the country with temporary work visas (H-2A or H-2B) who are controlled by their employers through physical or verbal violence, fraud or psychological coercion; they are people who have lost their freedom of movement, who must ask permission even to see someone and who are paid less than they should without explanation.

Here are some situations that will allow you to recognize when you are a victim of forced labor:

If you are suffering from any of the above situations and think you are a victim of labor trafficking, you can contact the Polaris Project helpline at any time by calling 1-888-373-7888.