Ananya Patel was just 13 when she learned about human trafficking.
She was at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, coming home from a school trip, when she heard a public safety announcement on loop.
“'Human trafficking is a problem in our community. If you see something, please call authorities. Let someone know’,” she said repeating the PSA and recalling the moment that would lead her into the world of advocacy.
Now 17, she’s a published author. In Welcome to Miami: Stories of Modern Slavery, Patel delves into the world of human trafficking — speaking to survivors and advocates about their experiences and cutting through the misconceptions.
Human trafficking, according to federal law enforcement authorities, is the crime of compelling a person to provide labor or services, or to engage in commercial sex acts. The U.N. International Labour Organization estimates that human traffickers victimize about 28 million people worldwide.
Patel’s mother helped her get involved with A21, a Texas-based non-profit organization that works to combat human trafficking. She started working with its local volunteer group, assisting at the front desk, talking to survivors and helping them translate and proofread speeches.
“ One day, some of the survivors were like, "Hey, we should do something to get our talks more out [there],” said Patel. “Cause only a few people can come to an awareness event…the survivors wanted their stories to be heard by more people, and people who maybe would know nothing about human trafficking.”
In 10 chapters, split into four parts, Patel walks the reader through survivors’ experiences, from childhood and coercion to trafficking, escape and healing.
“ I needed to figure out how to combine [statistics and survivor stories],” she said, adding that survivors stressed to her that healing was the most important part.
“ Life doesn't end after being trafficked and escape. All of these women I interviewed, they are recovering or recovered or trying their best to recover....I wanted to show the humanity of these women, and I think the format of the book was really important in displaying that.”
Patel says one of the biggest parts of healing that survivors shared with her focused on building healthy relationships again.
Traffickers, she said, made something as simple as human connection feel transactional for them. So much so that many of them began to expect that from any relationship.
“ I think that was just very hard for many of them to accept because of conditioning these traffickers put in for them….For many of them, the lasting effects of PTSD and depression… seeing a therapist [and] uncovering that trauma, often is just as impactful as the event itself.”
Many people, Patel says, may think to themselves, “it doesn’t happen here.” But with this book, she wants to stress that human trafficking can and is happening right here in South Florida. She stresses that being there for others and knowing the signs can help stop it.
“ If you notice maybe someone in class is coming in with new gifts, or has a partner that they're hesitant to talk about, or things like that, like those signs…all you need to do is be like, "Hey, are you okay?" Or, "Hey, just tell me what's going on..." Build that trust. It's important to not let people slip through the cracks.”
Patel’s book, Welcome to Miami: Stories of Modern Slavery, is available here. All proceeds benefit Glory House — a South Florida nonprofit that helps adult women who have survived human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
