One particular challenge of raising awareness is competing for public attention with depictions of human trafficking in popular culture. For example, the Taken film series, the recent film Sound of Freedom, and the current streaming series Shelter all depict well-organized trafficking cartels, with large hierarchies of employees and international, often wealthy, clientele.
These depictions can foster false understanding of the most immediate threats. While these organizations exist, they are not a particularly significant concern for children in America. American children are much more likely to be either a) trafficked by a family member; or b) groomed on the Internet, with the eventual goal of an in-person meeting at which they can be taken. Therefore, one of our ongoing concerns is that people pay proportionate attention to the real threats.