We Are Here: Human Trafficking
Prevention: Stopping It Before It Starts
Education & Awareness
Teach youth about grooming, online safety, and healthy relationships.
Provide training to teachers, healthcare workers, law enforcement, and transportation workers to spot the signs.
Raise community awareness through public campaigns, school programs, and social media.
Addressing Vulnerabilities
Support at-risk groups like runaway youth, foster children, refugees, and people living in poverty.
Improve access to housing, education, mental health care, and job opportunities.
Reduce demand by educating buyers and cracking down on industries that benefit from forced labor or sexual exploitation.
Protection: Supporting Victims and Survivors
Immediate Safety
Safe housing (short- and long-term shelters).
Legal support for immigration, custody, and prosecution needs.
Crisis intervention and trauma-informed care.
Long-Term Support
Job training, education, counseling, and survivor mentorship.
Empowerment through survivor leadership and advisory boards.
Nonprofit services like the Polaris Project, RAINN, and Covenant House provide critical assistance.
Prosecution: Holding Traffickers Accountable
Law Enforcement Training
Specialized anti-trafficking task forces.
Improved identification of victims (especially those wrongly charged with crimes they were forced into).
Strong Laws and Sentencing
Enforce laws that criminalize traffickers and protect victims (e.g., the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) in the U.S.).
Ban products made with forced labor through customs laws and corporate regulations.
Victim-Centered Justice
Treat trafficked persons as victims, not criminals.
Provide options for record expungement and restitution.
Partnerships: Everyone Has a Role
Government
Enact and enforce strong anti-trafficking laws.
Fund survivor services and education campaigns.
Collaborate internationally to address global trafficking routes.
Community Organizations
Provide outreach, shelter, and advocacy.
Train volunteers and build trust with vulnerable populations.
Individuals
Learn the signs: fear, lack of control, odd working/living conditions.
Report suspicious activity to the National Human Trafficking Hotline (U.S.):
📞 1-888-373-7888
📱 Text “BEFREE” (233733)
Support survivor-run businesses and ethical brands.
Use your voice — educate others, host events, advocate for change.
