Human trafficking is both a global and local issue. Each of us can make a difference by becoming more aware of the challenges and areas for reform, as well as taking action in our homes, businesses, and communities. For more on how to be involved and the three key components in the fight against human trafficking, watch this Policy Circle Move the Needle Experience with Heather Fischer, who served as Special Advisor on human trafficking to the President during the Trump Administration, watch The Policy Circle’s video here (39 minutes):

CASE STUDY

In 2016, Kat was 16 years old and was struggling to see eye to eye with her parents. They argued frequently, and Kat began venting her frustrations to a man named Raphael she met on an app. Through the app, Raphael introduced her to Jesse, who offered to give her a ride from her home in Maricopa, Arizona to nearby Phoenix.

One night, Kat snuck out her bedroom window and got in a car with Jesse. She was subsequently blindfolded and driven 30 miles to a motel in Phoenix, where she met a third man named Bryant, who told her she had “a client.” The men continued to sell her for sex in hotels and homes around Phoenix until someone saw her and called an anonymous tip to the police. “I didn’t even know what sex trafficking was before I was taken. I didn’t know that I would end up in the situation that I ended up in,” Kat said.

The Phoenix Police Department’s anti-trafficking unit used lessons learned from its efforts during the 2015 Super Bowl and shifted its local strategy to a victim-centered approach. Recognizing that many women working in the sex trade may be exploited, local law enforcement began to prioritize identifying and prosecuting the perpetrators of sex trafficking, as opposed to focusing on arresting the workers. Kat worked with the anti-trafficking unit, which was then able to identify and arrest her three captors and even one of the men who had sex with her.

Kat spent nine months at the Phoenix Dream Center, a community-based shelter that specializes in caring for survivors of sex trafficking. There, she was able to bond with other survivors and receive physical and mental health care services necessary for her healing process. Meanwhile, Kat’s legal case against her traffickers took over two years to make it through the court system, similar to many other trafficking cases. She was forced to see her abusers denying the accusations, court date after court date, because without her testimony the case would fall apart. Finally, one of her captors cooperated with the police and all defendants took plea deals.

PBS’s Frontline investigation, Sex Trafficking in America, documents the Phoenix anti-trafficking unit’s work to protect trafficking victims like Kat and arrest their traffickers. You can watch the full film here.

WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

Human trafficking can be confused with human smuggling. Smuggling does not involve coercion or force, and is a crime against the state because it requires crossing international boundaries. Trafficking requires there to be force or coercion, which makes it a crime against an individual.

DID YOU KNOW?

“Human trafficking,” “trafficking in persons,” and “modern slavery” all refer to both sex trafficking and compelled labor. In 2000, the U.S. passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), landmark legislation that serves as the cornerstone of U.S. federal law combating human trafficking. According to the TVPA, human trafficking, trafficking in persons, and modern slavery all refer to “the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provisioning, patronizing, soliciting or obtaining” of a person for the purpose of a commercial sex act (sex trafficking) or for labor or services (labor trafficking) by means of “force, fraud, or coercion.” Sex and labor trafficking include but are not limited to involuntary servitude, slavery, debt bondage, and forced labor. In the case of child sex trafficking, when the victim is under the age of 18, the means of coercion is not necessary for the situation to be defined as trafficking; even without the use of force, minors are automatically considered to be exploited in these situations because they cannot consent.

Human trafficking can cross international borders when victims are recruited abroad or be entirely domestic. Even though the term trafficking is frequently associated with physical transportation, it’s not required. “For a person to be a victim of human trafficking…the individual must find him or herself in a context of exploitation,” by means of force or fraud.

This video from the Department of Homeland Security further defines what human trafficking is (4 minutes):

WHY IT MATTERS

When Representative Chris Smith first introduced in the late 1990s the act that is now the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA), it was met with opposition because it was difficult to accept the reality. Despite the disbelief, human trafficking was happening in our own backyards, and still is happening.

Human trafficking is incompatible with the fundamental principles on which the U.S. was founded: individual human rights, freedom of choice, the rule of law, and the safety and security of all citizens. Human trafficking fuels organized crime and violence, particularly drug trafficking as traffickers may force their victims to smuggle drugs across borders. Trafficking also drains resources from law enforcement and the public health system to treat victims who should never have been exploited in the first place. Every aspect and outcome of human trafficking endangers “the welfare of the individual, the family and the community” and thus tears at the fabric of society and the trust that allows communities and individuals to thrive.

BY THE NUMBERS

Over 11,000 human trafficking cases involving nearly 22,000 victims were reported to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2024. Due to the hidden nature of trafficking, the number of actual cases is likely much higher than what is reported. Globally, 27.6 million people were in forced labor. Women and girls made up about 4.9 million of forced commercial sexual exploitation. Few estimates are available for human trafficking victims in the U.S. annually, as these statistics are notoriously difficult to obtain and confirm.

While very few estimates are available for confirmation, the Human Trafficking Institute publishes the Human Trafficking Report each year that provides an annual review of the human trafficking cases within the United States federal court system.

According to the 2023 report there were 202 victims of human trafficking cases filed in the United States; of these new cases filed, adult victims comprised about 17%, minor victims comprised 24%, and 59% were unknown ages.

Human trafficking victims often have “a vulnerability to exploit,” according to Megan Cutter, Associate Director of the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. Groups that lack a strong support network and may be living on the edge of survival are at higher risk for exploitation. These groups include immigrants, refugees, and individuals experiencing poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, and histories of maltreatment. Children and adolescents who are abused, neglected, or in the foster care system are also likely to be trafficked. According to the Polaris Project, the most common recruitment tactics for sex trafficking are through an intimate partner (or potential partner, contacted through social media) or familial relation. For labor trafficking, it is through job offers and advertisements, or false promises and fraud.

According to the State Department’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report is another strong resource for learning about trafficking in the United States. It covers statistics, government coordination and efforts, and policy recommendations.

Trying to put a price on a human being is an unethical concept, but human trafficking does just that. The estimated annual profits per victim are $27,000 for sex trafficking victims and about $4,000 for labor trafficking victims. Human trafficking, globally, generates about $230 billion. Even though about 75% of victims are exploited for labor, over 70% of global profits come from sex trafficking.

Human trafficking cases have been reported in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and some U.S. territories. While the National Human Trafficking Hotline receives the highest volume of reports from large metropolitan areas and cities, these concentrations reflect both where trafficking is more frequently identified and reported. Trafficking is not confined to major cities. It also occurs in suburban, rural, and tribal communities, including in sectors like agriculture and domestic work that may be less visible and more difficult to detect. Major transportation corridors connecting population centers can also facilitate movement of victims between smaller communities and larger urban hubs. You can find statistics and facts about human trafficking in your state here.

Trafficking is detected in every region of the world. Africa accounts for the largest share of cross-border trafficking flows, followed by South and East Asia, Europe and Central Asia, and the Americas. Data estimates from 2022 found that African victims were involved in approximately one-third of all detected transnational trafficking flows, making Africa the region with the highest number of victims trafficked to another country. Victims from South and East Asia were also detected across all global regions, indicating increasingly globalized trafficking routes.

Technology, including mobile phones, social media, and online platforms, has become central to recruitment and exploitation. This is particularly true in emerging forms of trafficking such as forced criminality linked to online scams and fraud schemes.

Prosecutions are a valuable indication of policy effectiveness and government commitment to reducing human trafficking. The U.S. Department of State tracks prosecutions worldwide by region in its annual TIP report. For example, in 2024, there were over 3,500 prosecutions in Africa, and only about a third resulted in convictions. Take a look at the most recent reports from the Human Trafficking Data Collection.

HISTORY

In the 1990s, a series of high profile labor and sex trafficking cases “demonstrated that egregious forms of modern slavery persisted, hidden in plain sight, in communities across the United States.” What the cases also demonstrated, unfortunately, was how insufficient existing criminal statutes were and how little “interdisciplinary partnerships” existed among U.S. law enforcement agencies, victim assistance nonprofits, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in investigating such cases.

The 3P Paradigm, developed through meetings at the United Nations, gives a strong structure for governments to use to fight human trafficking.

PREVENTING TRAFFICKING, PROTECTING VICTIMS, AND PROSECUTING TRAFFICKERS

The U.S. was not the only country with these concerns. In 1995, China hosted the United Nations’ Fourth World Conference on Women. It produced the Platform for Action, which became “a global policy framework and roadmap for government implementation” that included the need to eliminate trafficking. Five years later, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime in Palermo, Italy in November, 2000 produced the Palermo Protocol, the “first effort by the global community to create an internationally recognized set of standards relating to human trafficking and combating organized crime.”

The Palermo Protocol established two core principles for combating human trafficking. First, to follow the 3P paradigm of prosecuting traffickers, protecting victims, and preventing trafficking. Second, to follow a victim-centered approach, “which places equal value on the identification and stabilization of victims” as well as the prosecution of traffickers. The U.S. and many other countries incorporated these aspects into their laws combating human trafficking.

FEDERAL

In 2000, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) was proposed. The TVPA became the cornerstone of U.S. federal law on human trafficking. It established the President’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (PITF); the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) within the Department of State; and the TIP’s annual Trafficking in Persons Report.

The TVPA was renewed in 2003, 2005, 2008, 2023, and 2017-2018, each time incorporating added protection measures ranging from law enforcement training to better prosecute traffickers and protect victims, to measures that made international aid contingent upon aligning efforts to combat human trafficking.

DID YOU KNOW?

Over fifteen federal agencies make up the PITF, including the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to combat transnational trafficking, and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, which must adhere to federal laws that prohibit importing goods made with trafficked labor. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Offices of Management and Budget, the National Security Council, and the Domestic Policy Council also participate. Such interagency cooperation at the federal level is an important component in ensuring human trafficking remains a significant policy issue.

Another vital component in establishing anti-trafficking strategies is relying on the experiences of private citizens. The brave survivors of human trafficking are a valuable source of information, and their voices need to be incorporated into these strategies. The U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking is comprised of eight human trafficking survivors who provide recommendations to the PITF on federal policy and programs.

STATE AND LOCAL

Over the last two decades, states have worked to enhance their anti-trafficking laws. To best implement the “3P” paradigm, local agencies in health, social services, law enforcement, and justice coordinate their activities to prosecute traffickers, protect victims, and prevent trafficking across state and county lines. The Office of Victims of Crime (OVC) under the U.S. Department of Justice has developed training programs to help local law enforcement agents identify and rescue victims, because local law enforcement personnel are often the first to encounter victims.

Other members of civil society in the fight against human trafficking include local NGOs, faith-based organizations, survivors of human trafficking, media, and academia. In many cases, NGOs and faith-based organizations are the first line of defense and places of refuge for victims. Strengthening them and the resources they have in turn strengthens communities.

Victims have access to state and local services that are funded by block grants, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Substance Abuse and Mental health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Department of Health and Human Services’ Domestic Victims of Human Trafficking Program also provides victim assistance grants to state, tribal, and local organizations and programs providing victim-centered services so as to help “build community anti-trafficking capacity.” These organizations include food pantries and soup kitchens; domestic violence and homeless youth shelters; legal aid clinics; job training programs; ESL and GED assistance programs; and immigrant community organizations.

Victims can identify where to get emergency, transitional, or long-term support services from local organizations by calling the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline, and individuals can identify and support the NGOs in their community by using the hotline’s Referral Directory.

INFORMATION GATHERING

To properly combat human trafficking, organizations and agencies need reliable data, which is difficult to acquire. Primary data collection is complicated by the sensitive nature of the information and the need to ensure data integrity and confidentiality. Even with considerable amounts of gathered information, costs of building and maintaining databases is limited to committed governments and well-funded organizations. The majority of organizations around the world rely on basic databases or even paper files. Beyond the cost, there are other challenges such as anonymizing data and the premise of tracking an illicit activity.

In the United States, trafficking data is collected through federal crime reporting systems and the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Hotline data also contributes to international efforts to aggregate trafficking information, including a global database designed to make such data more publicly accessible. Additionally, the Department of State’s annual Trafficking in Persons report provides country-level trafficking statistics and evaluates government responses.

WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES

ADDRESS CULTURAL NORMS

Combating misconceptions is a key part of the domestic fight against human trafficking. A second major part of the fight is creating cultural change by reducing the demand for trafficking; according to the Demand Abolition investigation, Who Buys Sex?, active buyers of prostitution say it is “a ‘mostly victimless’ crime and are less likely to say that prostitution is a crime ‘where someone is harmed’.” In reality, people working in the sex trade are often exploited. At the local level, we as individuals can make a big difference by addressing the prevalence of sex trafficking and the morality of exploitation. Having these difficult but important conversations can help dispel myths so family and community members are aware of the risks and understand the truth of trafficking.

Human trafficking only perpetuates because there’s a customer base. If we had no customers, we had no demand, there would be no trafficking.

DETECTIVE AMBER CAMPBELL, PHOENIX ANTI-TRAFFICKING UNIT

EMPOWER COMMUNITIES TO ACT

Empowered individuals are best equipped to address the needs of their specific communities. This includes addressing violence, crime, and housing risk factors in neighborhoods; encouraging local businesses to monitor their supply chains; supporting specialized clinics and NGOs that provide social services and services for the physical and mental health of survivors; and developing educational programs for at-risk youth or the general public.

Training initiatives for law enforcement, private sector employees in industries such as healthcare, transportation, and education, and individuals will also help community members understand and identify the signs of trafficking, and know which questions to ask if they believe someone is being trafficked. You can start here with these informative videos from the Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign, and by learning how to identify labor and sex trafficking.

Once community members are trained to identify the signs of trafficking, they can feel more confident in their ability to combat human trafficking. One program from the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime develops human trafficking task forces, multidisciplinary teams formed by partnering local law enforcement agencies and community victim service organizations with state and federal agencies.

You can find human trafficking services and task forces in your state with the Office for Victims of Crime map, or consider working with your local officials to form your own task force with the Office for Victims of Crime’s Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide.

“Coordinated, community-based approaches that are customized to address a range of vulnerabilities across diverse groups may prevent human trafficking before it begins.”

COMMUNITY APPROACHES

Community members can also engage with the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Operated by Polaris, the hotline focuses on assisting victims and survivors, but anyone can contact the hotline (or directly call 911) to report a tip or a suspicious situation. The hotline has also compiled resources for anyone looking to engage in training or volunteer efforts in their communities. Community organizations are often in need of donations such as food or first aid and cleaning supplies, or volunteers to help with drives or fundraising events. Watch what these students in Atlanta are doing to help fight human trafficking.

PROSECUTION AND PROTECTION

Prosecution efforts across the world tend to lean in favor of the perpetrator. Even with the Palermo Protocol, there are different international standards for prosecuting human trafficking crimes. For example, labor trafficking cases can sometimes be prosecuted under employment law for labor violations, resulting in penalties much weaker than they would be if prosecuted under anti-trafficking law.

U.S. COORDINATION AND COLLABORATION

Where it can, U.S. law enforcement collaborates internationally, such as with Mexican law enforcement officials at the border in the U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Human Trafficking Enforcement Initiative to facilitate information sharing, evidence, and expertise. This is essential, given the number of migrants endeavoring to enter the U.S. at its southern border, particularly for unaccompanied minors who can be exploited (see The Policy Circle’s Immigration Brief for more on the situation at the border).

For more, watch this recent video from the Joint Intermediate Force Capabilities Office on human trafficking flow through the U.S. southern border (1 minute):

Domestically, the 2019 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act requires the Department of Justice to appoint a U.S. Attorney as a Human Trafficking Justice Coordinator in each federal judicial district, and Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam) Initiative combines resources and personnel from the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, Labor, and the FBI to develop and implement strategic enforcement plans in districts across the country.

PROTECTING VICTIMS

Coordinated efforts not only help law enforcement and the Department of Justice better prosecute traffickers, but also protect, rather than prosecute, victims. Victims’ testimonies are essential to successful human trafficking prosecutions, yet their participation in the legal process is often limited by fears for their safety, being arrested, or in the case of victims of international trafficking, being deported. Addressing these fears is an important part of protecting victims.

Victims of international human trafficking may be eligible in the U.S. for Continued Presence (CP), “a temporary immigration status provided to individuals identified by law enforcement as victims of a ‘severe form of trafficking in persons’ who may be potential witnesses.” At the state level, safe harbor laws protect children from criminal liability for prostitution or nonviolent offenses committed as a result of being victims of human trafficking, as exploited children are often further manipulated to commit other crimes. These safe harbor laws also ensure child victims have access to specialized services including medical and psychological treatment, legal services, and education or employment assistance.

SURVIVOR MODEL LEGISLATION

A growing body of proposed state and federal legislation is informed by what advocates often call the Survivor Model, also known as the Equality Model or Nordic Model.

The framework shifts legal accountability away from people being sold and toward those who sustain and profit from exploitation: it typically decriminalizes individuals in prostitution, targets demand by criminalizing the purchase of sex, strengthens penalties for traffickers and profiteers, and pairs enforcement with funded exit pathways (safe housing, trauma-informed services, education, and job training) to make leaving the commercial sex market realistic.

This framework shifts liability from traffickers and sometimes victims to persons or entities that profit from human trafficking. Typically, the strategy includes decriminalizing prostitution, criminalizing purchasing sex to target demand, strengthening trafficker penalties, and providing services for victims. See the Jensen Project for details on the legislative framework.

This approach aligns with the findings of the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls whose report frames prostitution as a system in which violence and coercion are not incidental but structurally embedded, and urges states to prioritize legal and policy measures that reduce exploitation and expand pathways out.

This approach aligns with the findings of the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls whose report frames prostitution as a system in which violence and coercion are not incidental but structurally embedded, and urges states to prioritize legal and policy measures that reduce exploitation and expand pathways out.

Countries that have adopted the Survivor Model:

• Sweden (targeting demand / purchase ban – in force since 1999)
• Norway (purchase ban – in force since 1 Jan 2009; gov doc)
• France (Law n° 2016-444 of 13 April 2016 – official Legifrance text)
• Ireland (Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act 2017 – Section 25 “Purchase of Sexual Services”)
• Canada enacted the Protection of Communities and Exploited Persons Act (PCEPA), which criminalizes the purchase of sexual services

In the United States, there are efforts on several fronts for more victim-centered laws, if not full strategic approaches. Survivor de-criminalization efforts is one such front that states are taking action on and can continue to grow.

THE ROLE OF BIG TECH: SECTION 230

In the United States, traffickers recruited about 40% of victims online in 2021. One piece of legislation that has garnered controversy in the fight against human trafficking is Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act (CDA). Under Section 230, a website’s users, not the platform itself, bear the legal responsibility for what they publish. Supporters of Section 230 credit it with greatly benefiting the American economy, paving the way for online innovation.

In terms of human trafficking, critics argue Section 230 could be subjecting victims of trafficking to increased harm. A New York Times investigation disclosed “an explosion of abusive content” on tech companies’ platforms over the course of 2018 and 2019, including over 45 million photos and videos of children being sexually abused. First, this indicates high demand for these images, which drives more child abuse. Second, under Section 230, platforms are immune from liability, which makes protecting victims, preventing future crimes, and prosecuting traffickers more difficult.

Advertising websites like Backpage.com were at the center of these criticisms. In 2017, the bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA) was introduced. SESTA was signed into law in April 2018 and was the first step toward holding websites like Backpage accountable for facilitating online sex trafficking. The documentary I am Jane Doe “chronicles the epic battle that several American mothers are waging on behalf of their middle-school daughters, victims of sex trafficking on Backpage.com.” See the trailer, or watch the film on Netflix.

THE PRIVATE SECTOR ROLE

Trafficking has permeated many industries, including agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, construction, and domestic work. Sex trafficking victims have been found in several sectors, such as the hospitality industry, but it also occurs in connection with industries that are remote and lack meaningful government presence.

In high risk industries, it is critical for business owners to be responsible for paying their employees fair wages, knowing their workers’ rights, and knowing their supply chains. Additionally, businesses can join the fight against trafficking by educating employees to identify warning signs and developing protocols for reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement. For example, the Department of Health and Human Services offers a training program for healthcare and social service professionals, and the Department of Labor has a program to help businesses develop a social compliance system.

While U.S. law bans imports made with forced labor, federal law generally does not impose a single, universal requirement that large corporations comprehensively monitor all tiers of their global supply chains. Although, import enforcement regimes can effectively require robust due diligence to avoid detentions and seizure. TVPA reauthorizations have largely focused on federal enforcement and victim support, rather than creating broad supply-chain monitoring or reporting mandates for private corporations.

Many businesses have taken it upon themselves to make these efforts because investors and consumers indicate through their buying preferences their concerns regarding enhanced protections for workers. For example, the Responsible Business Alliance (originally Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition, EEIC), the RESPECT Initiative, and Stronger Together work to help businesses identify and prevent modern slavery in their supply chains. They provide resources to help businesses understand how to improve working conditions and how to recruit and source ethically and responsibly. The Global Business Coalition Against Human Trafficking supports survivors by providing them with access to job training and employment opportunities.

Governments can also play a role, as seen when the U.S. and other countries stepped up criticism of Chinese treatment of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang. With the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevent Act, the U.S. bans goods produced by Xinjiang workers in state-run programs unless importers prove no exploitation occurred. Rights groups and researchers have accused Xinjiang authorities of mass internment and exploitation of Uyghurs, while Chinese government officials claim it is a labor transfer program. Thus far, the results have been for many factories that make products sold in the U.S. to shun workers from Xinjiang.

We, as individual consumers, can participate in the fight against human trafficking by educating ourselves about our own impacts. You can visualize the risk of forced labor with Responsible Sourcing Tool’s map. We can choose to support businesses that make efforts to prevent modern slavery in their supply chains, as well as support human trafficking survivors or business models that provide jobs and employment for those at risk of human trafficking, such as the Nomi Network. End Slavery Now also provides lists of companies with transparent supply chains, fair trade products and companies, survivor-made goods, and how you can write a letter to a company.

Human trafficking can and does happen anywhere in the world. From countries across the ocean to our own neighborhoods. For this reason, cooperation across domestic borders and international boundaries, between the public and private sectors, and among the local, regional, state, and federal levels is essential to combating human trafficking. Combined efforts to recognize and prevent human trafficking, protect victims, and prosecute traffickers ensures the safety of every community and every individual.

Human trafficking happens in our own communities and neighborhoods. This means each of us can make a difference by taking action to protect our communities. Here are some steps you can take to join the fight against human trafficking:

Measure: Find out what your state and district are doing about human trafficking.

• Do you know how prevalent trafficking is in your community or state?
• What are your state’s anti-trafficking laws?
• Is there a coalition or task force, or does one need to be formed?

Identify: Who are the influencers in your state, county, or community? Learn about their priorities and consider how to contact them, including elected officials, attorneys general, law enforcement, journalists, media outlets, community organizations, and local businesses.

• Who are the members of task forces or coalitions in your state?
• What steps has your state’s attorney general taken?

Reach Out: You are a catalyst. Finding a common cause is a great opportunity to develop relationships with people who may be outside of your immediate network. All it takes is a small team of two or three people to set a path for real improvement.

• Engage with coalition members at the local, state, and national level.
• Find allies in your community or in nearby towns and elsewhere in the state.
• Foster collaborative relationships with law enforcement, first responders, faith-based organizations, local hospitals, community organizations

Plan: Set some milestones based on your state’s legislative calendar.

• Don’t hesitate to contact The Policy Circle team, [email protected], for connections to the broader network, advice, insights on how to build rapport with policy makers and establish yourself as a civic leader.

Execute: Give it your best shot. You can:

• Apply for The Policy Circle’s CLER Program to join a community of like-minded women learning better skills to be effective business and civic leaders in their communities.
• Be a conscientious consumer – the National Center on Sexual Exploitation’s Dirty Dozen list exposing companies that perpetuate sexual exploitation is a good place to start.
• Urge local businesses to prevent trafficking in their supply chains.
• Think about your own workplace and schools, and encourage the implementation of anti-trafficking protocols or victim-centered business practices.
• Volunteer with your local anti-trafficking organizations, or conduct awareness campaigns by partnering with local school districts, PTAs, city councils, or other community organizations such as Rotary clubs.
• Create a new coalition or partnership with an existing organization with the Office for Victims of Crime’s Human Trafficking Task Force e-Guide. Then, consider:
  • Regular conferences, panel discussions, and workshops
  • Certification and training, such as the International Anti-human trafficking certification program (iACT)
  • Mentoring victims and survivors
  • Engaging local and state chambers of commerce or legislators to be advocacy partners, or prepare a team to advocate for safety and protective measures in your community or state

Working with others, you may create something great for your community. Here are some tools to learn how to contact your representatives and write an op-ed.

For more ideas and ways to get involved, see the State Department’s 20 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking, the Department of Health and Human Services’s 10 Ways You Can Help End Human Trafficking, and The Policy Circle Discussion Guide for this Brief.

• The Global Center Women and Justice’s Ending Human Trafficking Podcast
• Polaris Project and the National Human Trafficking Hotline referral directory and other resources
• Safe Coalition for Human Rights
• A21– An organization combating human trafficking and modern-day slavery

SEX TRAFFICKING

• The National Center on Sexual Exploitation
• Fight the New Drug
• World Without Exploitation

LABOR TRAFFICKING

• Responsible Sourcing Tool
• End Slavery Now
• Nomi Network

CHILD EXPLOITATION

• Reclaim13
• Gen Justice
• Rights4Girls