January Awareness: Human Trafficking
Photographed by Tim Tebow Foundation
What Is Human Trafficking?
Human trafficking is similar to modern-day slavery, forcing individuals into exploitative situations for profit. It is a crime involving the trade of humans through force or fraud for purposes like forced labor, domestic servitude, and sexual exploitation.
Why Is It An Issue?
Human trafficking is a global problem, affecting the lives of millions around the world and robbing persons of their dignity. Men, women, and children of all ages, from all corners of the world, are forced into exploitive situations every day. With the recession brought by the COVID pandemic, increasing numbers of people are exposed to the risk of trafficking. Traffickers identify and target people with noticeable vulnerabilities or needs. They often scour locations like bus stations, shelters, or malls and may groom their victims.
How Can We Help?
Learn the indicators of human trafficking by taking the training. For parents, gain awareness on how traffickers target and engage youth.
Encourage your local schools to include human trafficking in their curriculum. Work to develop protocols for reporting and responding to potential cases.
Be a conscientious, informed consumer. Visit websites like ResponsibleSourcingTool.org and take steps to prevent human trafficking in supply chains.
Volunteer. Meet or write to elected officials on local, state, and federal levels. Let them know you care about combating human trafficking and ask what they’re doing to address it. Want to Learn More?
Visit the UNODC’s website to learn more.
How YOU Can Help!
Learn the indicators, report signs, be ready to listen, and approach all situations with an optimistic mindset.
Donations
National
“Founded in 2002, Polaris is named for the North Star, which people held in slavery in the United States used as a guide to navigate their way to freedom. Today we are filling in the roadmap for that journey and lighting the path ahead” (Polaris Project, Who We Are).
California
OC Human Trafficking Task Force
“Community donations have helped make some of the most impossible things possible for our work and survivors. Donations such as care gift baskets, emergency backpacks, food, toiletries, household items or court kits can vary throughout the year” (OC Human Trafficking Task Force, Donations).
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