Raleigh police receive four reports of human trafficking in January as survey shows survivors continue facing barriers

Police received a call Saturday to the Extended Stay on Wake Forest Road.

Christopher Pierce, 36, was charged with simple assault, human trafficking and involuntary servitude and drug paraphernalia, according to records WRAL News received through a public information request.

That call came about 24 hours after a similar call from Greens Dairy Road.

Raleigh police responded to four reports of human trafficking in January alone. It is the most in a single month since March 2022, according to the city’s incident data.

Since 2018, RPD responded to at least 71 calls relating to human trafficking, data shows. It’s unknown how many survivors police have located and identified here in the city as well as around the state and country. More than 450 people who have been exploited participated in this National Survivor Study, the largest of its kind.

The main takeaway from the report, published by the Polaris Project is that survivors are surviving but not thriving.

"It's a brutal life," said Dean Duncan, a research professor at UNC's School of Social Work "The experiences are extremely brutal."

Duncan didn’t play a part in this research but has conducted and led his own in the past. He says any sort of trafficking – sex or labor – is exploitation.

"These individuals who are brought into the circumstances may not understand what their rights are," Duncan said. "They're being forced into doing things that they would not necessarily do and some form of bondage."

The report shows that survivors struggle financially and emotionally. According to respondents, 43% of people who responded to this survey report making less than $25,000 annually. That's compared to 26% nationally, data shows.

Accessing trauma-informed services, building trust and finding a job are among the top ten needs people mentioned as what they could have used immediately following escaping exploitative situations as well as needs currently, at least a year after leaving trafficking situations.

"I think just giving those opportunities are extremely important to in order to allow these individuals to move forward and to live self sufficient lives on their own," Duncan said.

The report shows that, while some progress has been made, survivors continue facing barriers long after they leave these situations.