January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and today is Human Trafficking Awareness Day.
Education is our strongest weapon against trafficking because an informed community is a trafficker’s worst nightmare. When teachers, parents, neighbors, friends, and coworkers collectively know the red flags and what to do when they spot them, we create a safety net that makes it much harder for traffickers to operate in our communities.
Educate Yourself
Your awareness can save a life! Learning the signs of trafficking and what to do when you encounter them gives you the ability to identify and act in moments where you can literally change or save someone’s life.
- What Is Human Trafficking? Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality.
Get more info, including video and a downloadable infographic. - How Can I Help? We can all play a role in protecting people in our community. Here are 20 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking.
Educate Others
After you’ve educated yourself, it’s time to share the knowledge!
- Get social. Post about the issue on your social media channels, and use hashtags like #EndHT #HumanTraffickingAwarenessDay #WearBlueDay #EndHumanTrafficking #NotForSale #EndModernSlavery #HumanTraffickingAwareness #SurvivorSupport. Follow us on social media to stay connected. This month we’ll be sharing useful info and resources that you can use to further educate yourself on the problem and how you can be part of the solution. Facebook | Instagram | X.
- Spread the word in your community. Here are toolkits for various communities — schools, hospitality industry, transportation industry, faith-based communities , and more — to raise awareness against the heinous crime of human trafficking. These toolkits provide an overview of human trafficking, how it affects the community, provides information to recognize and report suspected incidents of human trafficking, and posters for display.
