'I've worked in anti-human trafficking for 4 years. This is what I want you to know.'

A young woman walks briskly along a dark street, clutching her bag close, as her heart races.

She has the unsettling sense of being watched.

She glances over her shoulder, and the moon casts an eerie glow, but only emptiness stretches out behind her.

Turning a corner, her breath catches as a white van screeches to a halt beside her, its doors flinging open to reveal men clad in black. In an instant, she is yanked from the pavement, her desperate screams muffled by a rough hand clamped over her mouth. Everything fades to black.

This is how Hollywood often portrays human trafficking — a terrifying abduction that plays out like a horror film.

While such scenarios do occur, the reality is far more insidious, lurking in plain sight, often unnoticed in our everyday lives.

"In reality, it's often a slow and calculated grooming process," anti-human trafficking advocate Stephanie Clarke told Mamamia.

"Traffickers aren't random criminals acting on impulse. They're calculated, manipulative, and know exactly what they're doing."

Learn about the basics of human trafficking. Post continues below.

Stephanie has spent the past four years fighting human trafficking at Every Daughter Matters, an Australian-based organisation working along the border of Nepal. But trafficking isn't just something that happens in faraway places; it is a grim reality that seeps into our communities.

"It's happening everywhere, often right in front of us," Stephanie said.

"A lot of people imagine human trafficking victims as being locked in a dark room, chained to a wall, completely hidden from the world. But in reality, many are hidden in plain sight — working in restaurants, massage parlours, construction sites, and even private homes.

"They could be the person cleaning your hotel room, preparing your food, or looking after someone's children."

In most cases, traffickers start by building trust. They might pose as a friend, a romantic partner or even a potential employer, slowly tightening their grip on the victim's life, Stephanie explained.

"They might offer gifts, affection, or promises of a better future, only to turn that trust into manipulation… isolating them from family, making them feel dependent, and eventually forcing them into situations they never agreed to," she said.

And it's not just men. Women often play a key role in recruitment, acting as a "friendly face" that makes the situation seem safe.

Stephanie on a work trip with Every Daughter Matters in Nepal. Image: Supplied.

In Australia, trafficking could be forced labour, domestic servitude or sexual exploitation.

"Many victims are migrants or vulnerable individuals who are tricked with false job offers or promises of a better life, only to be trapped in situations where they have no control," Stephanie said.

Once trapped, "it's not physical chains that keep them there, it's psychological ones". Traffickers may threaten their lives or their families, take their passports or convince them they have no other options.

"Many victims don't even realise they're being trafficked, they've been tricked, coerced, or made to believe they owe a 'debt' they can never repay," Stephanie said.

"It's time to stop ignoring."

Because trafficking isn't always visible, people assume it's not happening. But Stephanie has seen first-hand the devastating impact it can have.

"It's time to stop ignoring this issue and turning a blind eye, pretending it doesn't happen here in our own backyard," she said.

"I've covered trafficking stories from Perth, Townsville, Brisbane, Canberra, Sydney… you name it, it's happening.

"Last year, the Australian Federal Police received 382 reports of human trafficking in Australia, but I have no doubt the real number is much higher."

@stephanieclarkex Replying to @yayag66jw Facts about human trafficking part 2 Keep leaving your questions #humanrights #humantrafficking #humantraffickingawareness #humantraffickingprevention #slaveryhistory #slaveryfacts #humantraffickingisacrime ♬ original sound - Mrs Stephanie Clarke

It's a global crisis, she said, and the criminal industry is only growing.

"Globally, only about two per cent of trafficking victims are ever found. That's millions of people who will never have the opportunity to escape," she said. "It makes me tear up every time I think about it. That's why talking about it matters."

When it comes to fighting human trafficking, we all have a role to play.

"Not everyone can physically be there rescuing victims, but we can all do something, whether it's raising awareness, donating, or backing the people already in the fight," Stephanie said.

"The more we educate ourselves, the more we can recognise the signs and do something about it. We can't afford to look away any longer."

Feature image: Supplied.