Human Trafficking Awareness Day 2022

Human Trafficking Awareness Day 2022
Resources

Human Trafficking Awareness Day 2022

Tuesday, January 11, is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. The day strives to provide the general public with information about the horrors of human trafficking while gaining support for the victims. 

The United States Department of Justice defines Human Trafficking as a crime that involves exploiting a person for labor, services, or commercial sex. It’s considered modern-day slavery and is illegal throughout the United States, but remains a growing issue. In 2020 there were 10,583 cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, and likely many more that flew under the radar since human trafficking is a notoriously underreported crime

K-12 School Staff Play an Important Role in Identifying and Reporting Human Trafficking

Teachers and school staff are in a unique position where they can help identify and detect human trafficking of minors. Common warning signs that a child may be a victim of trafficking include: 

  • many unexplained absences
  • signs of neglect and abuse
  • no form of personal identification
  • possession of large amounts of cash or hotel keys
  • trouble answering questions about their personal lives and where they live
  • physical signs of abuse like bruises and malnourishment
  • symptoms of STIs and infections
  • poor hygiene
  • unexplained items of value
  • tattoos/branding
  • use of slang language associated with trafficking and gangs

If you suspect a child may be a victim of trafficking, you can reach out to local law enforcement or call the National Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

Human Trafficking Awareness Resources from Vector Solutions

We offer an expert-authored  Human Trafficking Awareness course in our Vector Training K-12 Staff Safety and Compliance Course Library. The course is authored by Catherine Mattice, President of Civility Partners, and Emily Waters, the Director of Human Trafficking Programs at The Safe Center in Long Island, New York. The content of this online course provides school staff members with an overview of human trafficking, and ways to help identify – and potentially prevent – occurrences of human trafficking. Topics include the scope of human trafficking, ways of identifying victims, key stories and case studies, warning signs, and ways to respond.

If you or someone you know is a victim of Human Trafficking, call the National Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, text 233733, or visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org/. 

Want to Know More?

Reach out and a Vector Solutions representative will respond back to help answer any questions you might have.