Human Trafficking is Everyone’s Issues

We think it only happens in certain parts of the world. We think it only happens in impoverished neighborhoods.  The reality is that Human Trafficking is a crime that happens in every country, every state, every day.  85% of the victims of Human Trafficking involve women and  children, however males are also victims according to the 2013 trend report by the National Human Trafficking Research Center. Awareness and action are two important ‘right-now’ steps people can take to make a footprint in the efforts to stop Human Trafficking.

With Super Bowl 2015 just a few days away, thousands will be visiting our beautiful state of Arizona.  Unfortunately big events like this also bring a rise in Human Trafficking.

This week, as part of the CE Wilson support of the community,  we committed to spreading the word regarding Human Trafficking. We hit the pavement and talked to people who were surprised to know how big of an issue this is.  Of course this is an uncomfortable topic, an uncomfortable conversation opener, and a scary thing to think about…but courage is what brings about change. This has been an invaluable experience for our team and we want to share some of that information and helpful links with you here.

Helpful Information

“An estimated one third of the small number of slaves freed in the U.S. each year are delivered from forced servitude because someone noticed something didn’t look right and chose to report it instead of walking away.” www.inourbackyard365.com. There are many global, national, state, city and even community efforts aimed at attacking this problem. Here are some resources worth having:

• US Department of State’s definition of Human Trafficking
• Human Trafficking Awareness Training – free online training course that defines Human Trafficking and shows how to recognize indicators.  Consider having your project team, coworkers, or neighbors go through this course as a group
• National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) provides this toll free confidential number to get help, report a tip, or learn more: 1-888-373-7888.
• US Department of State for more information as well as efforts being taken against Human Trafficking

There are many inspiring stories of amazing survivors and the people who reported information.  Please take a look through these websites and others to make you and your project team, your staff, your organizations, your basketball team, your neighbor aware of Human Trafficking, its signs, and resources available to report a tip. Everyone can help by being more conscious and aware of what to look for and what to do if you encounter signs of Human Trafficking.

Chrystal Richardson is Managing Partner of CE Wilson Consulting, a project management and business efficiency consulting firm that has managed projects for technology, mining, medical, utility and manufacturing clients since 2001.