What common method is used by traffickers to control their victims?

Traffickers commonly use violence as a method to control their victims because it instills fear and establishes dominance. This can include physical harm or threats of violence, which creates an environment of intimidation. The fear of being harmed, or of harm befalling loved ones, keeps victims from attempting to escape or reporting their situation to authorities. Through violence, traffickers can exert complete control over their victims, making it difficult for them to break free from the exploitation.

In contrast, while emotional manipulation and other tactics like offering financial stability or education can also play a role in trafficking, they do not have the same immediate and overpowering effect as the direct threat of violence. Emotional manipulation often leverages psychological tactics to create dependency or confusion, but it tends to be more subtle and takes longer to establish authority. Similarly, the offer of financial stability or education can be used as a lure, but they do not inherently provide control in the same way that fear and intimidation from violence do.