Combating Human Trafficking Ahead Of The NFL Draft
The NFL Draft will soon be taking place in Detroit. And unfortunately, with large events comes an increased opportunity for human trafficking. ESPN reported that large sporting events such as the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup, the Winter and Summer Olympics, the Kentucky Derby, among other large events, are targets for human trafficking.
What is human trafficking?
Human trafficking is known as the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another, typically for the purposes of forced labor and/or sexual exploitation.
The Facts
According to the U.N.-backed International Labor Organization (ILO) report, human trafficking earns a profit of roughly $150 billion a year for traffickers with 66% of the global profits coming from sexual exploitation. The ILO and the nonprofit Polaris Project reported that the sex and labor trafficking industry is second only to drug trafficking as the world’s largest criminal industry.
In 2019, according to the Institute for Sport and Social Justice’s “Shut Out Trafficking” program, there were 2,907 people arrested, suspected, or charged with human trafficking activities in the United States. More than 400 people over 18 years of age were rescued from being trafficked. Nearly 115 children under the age of 18 were freed.
During the NCAA Men’s Tournament Final Four in Minneapolis, shortly after the 2019 Super Bowl, officials arrested 58 people in a sex trafficking sting operation. This included 47 people being charged for “felony solicitation of a minor,” and 11 people for “sex trafficking or promotion of prostitution.” As a result of the sting operation, 28 people, including one minor, were rescued. The five-day operation involved undercover agents and investigators who chatted with potential sex buyers over social media, according to the report.
In 2019, during the Kentucky Derby events, officers arrested four men on counts of human trafficking. The arrest led to the rescue of 13 women in the successful execution of the operation. According to reports, the operation used an undercover police officer posing as a 15-year-old girl who posted an online sex ad. This operation also focused on the victims themselves. They were reportedly all offered the opportunity to speak with advocates and escape the industry.
Combating human trafficking at sporting events.
The host cities of many large sporting events recruit law enforcement and local organizations to help combat human trafficking. They do this by spreading awareness. This can include educating and training hospitality industries such as hotels, restaurants, massage parlors, and adult entertainment clubs to sight and report any signs of trafficking. People may also see an increased display of messages throughout the city, in bathrooms at restaurants or public spaces.
WXYZ Detroit reported that the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association held the “No Rooms for Human Trafficking” training conference for area hotel workers on how to spot and report human trafficking. That included sex and forced labor.
Attorney General Dana Nessel put together a human trafficking initiative offering tips on how to spot and report human trafficking as well as resources for victims.
On the website, they shared a video on how to identify human trafficking. See the video below.
If you are a victim of human trafficking or have identified someone you think may need help, contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 888-373-7888, or text 233733.
This is a national, toll-free hotline, that is available to answer calls, texts, and chats from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.
