In December 2016, President Obama proclaimed January as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, culminating with National Freedom Day on February 1.
In his proclamation, President Obama wrote, “[T]oday, in too many places around the world — including right here in the United States — the injustice of modern slavery and human trafficking still tears at our social fabric. During National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, we resolve to shine a light on every dark corner where human trafficking still threatens the basic rights and freedoms of others.”
Human trafficking is a complex issue that is often misunderstood. Human Trafficking is the exploitation of a person through force, fraud, or coercion and its victims can be of any age, race, gender, or nationality. It happens in every corner of our world, including in your own backyard.
Here’s what you can do to educate yourself about human trafficking and to take action to eradicate it:
- Report a tip or request services by calling the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at: 1-888-373-7888 or by texting HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).
- Learn more about human trafficking and forced labor in these Free e-Learning Courses from Verité.
- Hear the voices of trafficking survivors in the Office for Victims of Crime “Faces of Human Trafficking” Video Series.
- Download the Sweat & Toil app, visualizing child labor, forced labor, and human trafficking around the world.
- Visit the Responsible Sourcing Tool website, a free tool to uncover and prevent human trafficking in supply chains.
- Participate in the Partnership for Freedom competition, a public-private partnership announced by President Obama, which challenges local communities to shift practices, policies, and perceptions so that all survivors of human trafficking receive the respect, support, and opportunities they deserve.
- Read the Department of State’s 2016 Trafficking in Persons Report.
- Join the Blue Campaign, an initiative by the Department of Homeland Security that educates and trains the public to increase detection and investigation of human trafficking, and to protect victims and bring suspected traffickers to justice.
- Educate yourself about the risks of forced labor in the apparel, food, and technology sectors by reading the KnowTheChain benchmarks.
- Support the work of ATEST, and keep up-to-date with efforts to propose and pass legislation that brings traffickers to justice and assists trafficking survivors.
- Distribute posters, wallet cards, and stickers available for free in several languages from The Office of the Administration for Children & Families.
- Engage in social media using the #endtrafficking hashtag and by following us @VeriteNews.