National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

Events like the Super Bowl offer a great opportunity to raise awareness for human trafficking. And the week of February 8, that opportunity will once again arise as Super Bowl LX comes to Santa Clara, California. Yet, as we inch near this large sporting event, it is important to remember that it isn’t the only occasion that requires us to direct our attention to the victims of sex trafficking – just one of the most well-known.

Years ago, during our travels, my husband and I landed at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. Unfortunately, the weekend we arrived in the city was also the weekend of the most recent Formula One race in the United States. The airport was packed.

No sooner had we gathered our luggage than I noticed a familiar sight – human trafficking awareness posters.

“If you see something, say something,” many of them said.

These signs are common in high-traffic areas and often depict a woman in distress, accompanied by that particular saying mentioned above. Typically, along the bottom of the picture is a phone number for travelers to call and report suspected trafficking cases.

While sex trafficking occurs every single day in a calendar year in the United States, it is common for large-scale events to cause an increase in demand.

This one was no different.

A local Vegas news article reported that, “36 pimps were arrested during race week, 31 ‘Johns,’ or customers, and seven people for soliciting a minor [were also arrested].”

Meanwhile, those were just the buyers and sellers who were caught. As human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing criminal industries, it is always hard to pinpoint precisely how many victims are bought and sold in the United States or abroad.

Surrounding this single event, many people were sold for sex.

Another example would be Super Bowl LVII in Las Vegas. The Daily Signal reported that “Police investigated over 400 cases related to human trafficking during Super Bowl week in Las Vegas ….”

The issue of buying and selling individuals is real. But what can we do to help?

Like the sign said, “If you see something, say something.”

Raising awareness is the easiest way to help bring justice to these victims.

This month offers a unique chance to do so.

Since 2010, January has been known as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and has been annually acknowledged by presidential proclamation. And as the first month of the year, learning the signs and symptoms of human trafficking before large-scale events take place is a great way to help victims of sex trafficking.

A few ways that we can help victims and raise awareness are as follows:

Learn the signs. How can we “say something” if we don’t know what we’re looking for? Shared Hope International offers excellent resources that explain these signs. Their resource section also includes an “On the Road Warning Signs” document that explains in detail what to look for while traveling. Some of these signs include the suspected victim having someone watch over their every move, having branding on them, being afraid, not speaking freely, showing signs of injuries, not having access to their ID, etc.
Know that women and girls are not the only victims. In 2023, the U.S. Department of State reported that “The percentage of boys identified as victims of human trafficking more than quintupled between 2004 and 2020 – a much larger increase than for men, women, or girls.” It continued by saying, “The same report notes males (including boys and men) account for 40 percent of all identified victims of human trafficking.” By knowing that this isn’t a gender-specific issue, we can also look for the same signs in boys as well.
Be bold. If you see something, say something. By calling the human trafficking hotline or 911 in an emergency, you can contact the proper authorities to come and check out the situation. Never take matters into your own hands. There are trained individuals ready to act in these situations, but by noticing these signs and calling the proper personnel, you are offering help to those in need.

Finally, the most important thing we can do for those trapped in this lifestyle is to pray. Those who have experienced this life are carrying more trauma than many of us can imagine, and their recovery needs afterward are extensive. Oftentimes, even if rescued, the weight of this trauma can be challenging for these victims to process. Pray specifically that these victims are found and that someone shows them the love of Jesus, and that they accept Him as their one true Savior.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy (Proverbs 31:8-9).

For more information and help with learning the signs of human trafficking and more resources on raising awareness, visit Eight Days of Hope or Shared Hope.

To report suspected trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 (in the event of a minor), or in the case of an emergency, 911.

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