Understanding Exploitation: What Does Force Really Look Like?
When people hear the word force, they often picture physical violence—someone being held down, restrained, or physically overpowered. While that does happen, it is only part of the picture. If we limit our understanding of force to what is visible and extreme, we risk missing the many ways it actually shows up in trafficking situations.
Force Is Not Always Obvious
Force includes physical violence, but it also includes anything that physically controls or overrides a person’s ability to make decisions about their own body. In the work we do, we have supported multiple survivors who describe being given substances that impaired them—leaving them disoriented, unable to respond, or unable to fully understand what was happening. In some cases, individuals recall being given something as children that made them feel confused or “fuzzy,” followed by exploitation they could not stop.
This is force.
It may not look like restraint in the way people expect, but it is still a complete removal of control.
The Role of Physical Control
Force can also include more recognizable forms of physical control:
Being physically harmed or threatened with harm
Being restrained or prevented from leaving
Having basic needs controlled, such as access to food, sleep, or medical care
These actions create an environment where a person’s choices are no longer truly their own.
Why This Is Often Missed
One of the reasons force is misunderstood is because it does not always leave visible evidence. There may not be clear signs of injury. There may not be a dramatic moment that others can point to. Instead, it often happens behind closed doors, in ways that are intentionally hidden. And when substances are involved, survivors themselves may struggle to fully recall or explain what happened, which can make their experiences harder to recognize or validate.
Expanding Our Understanding
If we only look for force in its most extreme form, we will overlook many survivors. Understanding that force can include drugging, physical control, and the removal of a person’s ability to respond or consent helps us see a more accurate picture of exploitation.
It allows us to respond with greater awareness and care.
Hope In Action
One way you can move hope forward is by shifting how you define what you are looking for. Instead of asking, “Do I see obvious violence?” begin asking, “Is this person able to make free and informed choices?” That shift in perspective matters. It creates space to recognize situations that might otherwise be dismissed—and it helps ensure that those experiencing exploitation are not overlooked. In the next post, we will look at fraud and how deception plays a powerful role in exploitation.
Another way to put hope into action is to make a gift. When you make a gift to Covered Colorado, you help provide direct support, safe resources, and long-term care for survivors navigating complex situations like the ones described above. We invite you to give today and be part of that work.