Human trafficking can happen to people of all ages and genders and any race or religious background. Women are often used for sexual exploitation, while men are usually used for forced labor. It is believed that one in five human trafficking victims are children, exploited for begging, child pornography, or child labor.

In 2019, the United States had 11,500 human trafficking cases reported. The most common type of trafficking was sex trafficking (8,248 reports), with the most common venues being illicit massage/spa businesses and pornography.

NRS 200.467 and NRS 200.468 are the Nevada laws that define the crime of human trafficking. These statutes state that:

A person shall not transport, procure transportation for or assist in the transportation of or procurement of transportation for another person into the State of Nevada who the person knows or has reason to know does not have the legal right to enter or remain in the United States in exchange for money or other financial gain [or…] with the intent to:

(a) Subject the person to involuntary servitude or any other act prohibited pursuant to NRS 200.463, 200.4631 or 200.465;

(b) Violate any state or federal labor law, including, without limitation, 8 U.S.C. § 1324a; or

(c) Commit any other crime which is punishable by not less than 1 year imprisonment in the state prison.

Ford has yet to respond publicly to Chattah’s charge. The last time Ford tweeted about human trafficking was in January during “Human Trafficking Awareness Month”: