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Understanding and Preventing Exploitation – LA County Announces Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Campaign

Understanding and Preventing Exploitation – LA County Announces Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Campaign 600 200 COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES
Los Angeles skyline featuring modern buildings, with the logo of the County's Consumer & Business Affairs department.

January 15, 2026

Contact: LA County DCBA Communications
(213) 332-6497; communications@dcba.lacounty.gov

Understanding and Preventing Exploitation: LA County Announces Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Campaign

LOS ANGELES – In recognition of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs’ Office of Labor Equity (OLE) launched a new public awareness campaign to highlight the often-hidden realities of human trafficking and labor exploitation. The campaign includes the release of a new video, ‘After the Disaster: Know the Signs of Human Trafficking,’ which examines how moments of crisis can create dangerous opportunities for trafficking.

Human trafficking is a crime involving the use of force, fraud, or coercion to exploit a person for labor or services. It does not require crossing borders or violence and can occur in any community. In many cases, trafficking does not look like what people expect. It may appear as a job offer, temporary work, or help during a difficult time. Immigrants and workers in certain industries, including domestic workers, construction workers and day laborers, hospitality workers and others, are particularly vulnerable.

Risk of trafficking often increases after disasters. When people are displaced, seeking work or trying to rebuild, they become more vulnerable to exploitation.

‘After the Disaster: Know the Signs of Human Trafficking’ features survivor and advocate Miranda, who was trafficked after the 2018 Camp Wildfire in Butte County, along with expert insight from Rose Basmadzhyan, OLE Deputy Director. The video helps viewers understand how trafficking and labor exploitation can take different forms, how to recognize the warning signs and how to get help or report concerns.

Trafficking frequently goes unrecognized and unreported. People experiencing it may not realize they are being trafficked, particularly when abuse happens gradually or is tied to work, and those who witness warning signs may not recognize it either. That is why this campaign is critical, to raise awareness, close those gaps in understanding, and help Los Angeles County confront an ongoing crisis that continues to unfold in communities countywide.

“Human trafficking often occurs in silence, exploiting people who are already vulnerable and unsure where to seek help,” said Los Angeles County Board Chair and First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis. “This proclamation affirms Los Angeles County’s commitment to preventing both labor and sex trafficking, strengthening coordination across County agencies, and supporting survivors year-round. As Los Angeles prepares to host major international events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, we must increase prevention efforts, public education, and protections for those at heightened risk of exploitation.”

“In Los Angeles County, we are committed to a public health approach to addressing human trafficking by strengthening prevention efforts, supporting survivors, and addressing the conditions that increase vulnerability,” said Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath. “Recognizing Human Trafficking Awareness Month is an opportunity to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and reinforce coordinated, trauma-informed responses across our communities.”

“Human trafficking, in particular labor trafficking, is not an abstract issue or something that only happens elsewhere,” said Rafael Carbajal, Director of the LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA). “It happens here in LA County, often hidden in plain sight, in industries and workplaces that many of us interact with every day. Fear, language barriers, and financial instability make people less likely to report abuse, and when people are afraid to speak up or seek help, traffickers gain power.”

The video is part of DCBA’s monthlong public awareness campaign in January. DCBA will share tips and resources on preventing human trafficking at dcba.lacounty.gov and on social media @LACountyDCBA.

As Los Angeles County prepares for large events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics, demand for temporary labor in industries already vulnerable to exploitation will increase.

Five common warning signs of labor exploitation and human trafficking include:

  • Personal Identification: A person’s passport, ID or documents are taken away and held by someone else
  • Constant Surveillance: Being closely monitored or controlled by another person
  • Pay and Threats: Not being paid what was promised or being threatened with deportation or harm
  • Unsafe Work Conditions: Working in dangerous conditions without proper gear, training or breaks
  • Loss of Financial Control: Not having control over your income or being afraid to talk about work with others

If you or anyone you know is being coerced or forced into any activity – whether it is commercial sex, housework, farm work, construction, factory, retail, restaurant work or any other activity – please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888 or text “HELP” to 233733. The hotline is free and confidential. Anonymous calls are welcome, and services are provided in more than 200 languages.

Reports can also be made to the DCBA Office of Labor Equity:

Media Availability

DCBA would like to offer media organizations the opportunity to interview Office of Labor Equity Deputy Director Rose Basmadzhyan on the topic of human trafficking and labor exploitation in LA County. Please contact DCBA Communications at communications@dcba.lacounty.gov or call (213) 332-6497 to arrange.

For 50 years, the County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) has worked to level the playing field for consumers, tenants, workers, and immigrant communities across LA County. Whether combating fraud, enforcing worker protections, expanding access to justice, or strengthening financial resilience, DCBA serves as a trusted voice and advocate for those who need it most. Learn more at dcba.lacounty.gov or call (800) 593-8222.

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