Jacksonville woman says she was trafficked, now helping people spot the signs

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — 31-year-old Nicole McCall wants to make it her mission to prevent the trafficking of young girls around the world.

McCall said she was kidnapped and sold into sex trafficking at the age of 13, along with two of her friends. She is now a Certified Anti-Human Trafficking Advocate and Peer Support Specialist for sexually exploited children.

While she now lives in California, she's back here in Jacksonville--where it all began-- working to get in touch with local agencies to help spread awareness.

McCall said for others to help, the best thing to do is to know the signs. She said recognizing key indicators of human trafficking is the first step in identifying victims of human trafficking and can help save a life.

Some include:

• Lying about age, fake ID
• Frequently missing school or falling asleep in school-Hotel room keys
• Restricted communication, no eye contact
• Older boyfriend, dominating boyfriend
• Large amounts of cash
• Sudden dramatic change in behavior
• Seems fearful, timid
• Has branding or tattoo displaying “daddy”
• Inappropriate clothing for the weather or venue
• Uses slang or code words used in the commercial sex industry
• Disconnected from family, friends, or house of worship-Doesn’t know what day of the week it is
• Appears to be coached on what to say

McCall also has a website with more information: https://iamnicolemccall.org/know-the-signs

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