Human traffickers use multiple tactics to execute control over their victims. One way is by forcing or coercing their victims into getting tattooed to signify that they belong to that trafficker. These tattoos are referred to as branding tattoos and can be a form of psychological bondage imposed on the victims.

The brandings are meant to show ownership or property of the trafficker, so the tattoo is commonly a unique personal symbol or the trafficker's name. Throughout this project, we have seen branding tattoos of the trafficker's name, initials, dollar signs or a specific branding logo which all signify the trafficker’s property. The location of the tattoos can vary but are commonly placed in highly visible locations such as the hands, neck or chest.