Resources - Polaris

Resilience Fund Mid-Program Evaluation

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:30 +0000

The Polaris Resilience Fund offers direct cash assistance to survivors of human trafficking across the U.S. to fill the gaps between traditional resources. In doing so, The Resilience Fund gives survivors back exactly what their traffickers stole from them – control over their own lives. The Mid-Program Evaluation examines the progress of its inaugural cohort, composed of 24 adult survivors of human trafficking across the U.S., after nine months of unrestricted direct cash disbursements. The program’s design centers on providing up to $500 per month to recipients for up to 18 months, empowering survivors to address key barriers to economic stability, such as housing insecurity, debt, and access to mental and behavioral health services. This report offers a longitudinal analysis of the impacts of these disbursements on participants to date, focusing on financial autonomy, trust, and systems barriers.

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No Vacancy: Closing the Door on Labor Trafficking in the Hospitality Industry

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 18:24:18 +0000

In an effort to find new ways to collaborate with existing partners in the hotels and lodging industry, Polaris analyzed data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline to understand potential gaps in existing initiatives, which are primarily focused on anti-sex trafficking. The analysis revealed a number of insights about labor trafficking in the hotel and lodging industry where partnership efforts could be improved. Intended for hospitality professionals looking to prevent labor trafficking on their properties, this data briefing details information about labor trafficking in the lodging industry and provides recommendations on how to prevent or mitigate situations of labor trafficking.

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Action Guide: Trafficking Prevention for Youth in Philadelphia

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 17:47:18 +0000

Polaris’s Strategic Initiative on Sex Trafficking focuses on 25 U.S. cities and has three program leverage areas: shifting legal accountability for trafficking, changing norms around sex buying, and expanding social safety nets for vulnerable populations. The safety net expansion initiative (SNEI) is designed to prevent trafficking before it happens. Studies have shown that some populations are disproportionately represented among sex trafficking victims – such as vulnerable youth.

For Philadelphia, one of our initial focus cities under the initiative, we created this action guide with and for local stakeholders to help prevent trafficking of the local vulnerable youth population.

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Criminal Record Relief for Trafficking Survivors

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 16:39:03 +0000

Polaris released a new report grading all 50 states and D.C. on their criminal record relief laws for human trafficking survivors. Since the first report in 2019, 17 states responded to the call for better statutes that are more inclusive and easier to access, while two states actually reversed their progress.

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In Harm’s Way: How Systems Fail Human Trafficking Survivors

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 20:00:20 +0000

The National Survivor Survey is the largest and most significant effort to date to learn directly from survivors of sex and labor trafficking. This report uses the findings from this study to paint a detailed picture of the arc of trafficking – from the conditions that make people vulnerable, to barriers to healing when those same people break free after experiencing exploitation. In doing so, it offers a virtual roadmap for policymakers and allies seeking to make change.

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Action Guide: Trafficking Prevention for Homeless Youth in Louisville

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 15:49:28 +0000

For Louisville, one of our initial focus cities under the initiative, we created this action guide with and for local stakeholders to help prevent trafficking of the local homeless youth population.

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Action Guide: Trafficking Prevention for LGBTQ+ Communities in San Diego

Thu, 29 Sep 2022 15:07:12 +0000

For San Diego, one of our initial focus cities under the initiative, we created this action guide with and for local stakeholders to help prevent trafficking of the local LGBTQ+ community.

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Polaris Letter of Support for the ENABLERS Act

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 16:40:27 +0000

Polaris sent a letter to House and Senate leadership urging them to include the ENABLERS Act in the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act. This legislation builds on the work done by Polaris and others to require businesses to disclose who their actual owner is by closing a loophole that allows some businesses to skirt anti-money laundering responsibilities. This seemingly basic change opens up a world of possibilities for law enforcement to connect the dots to uncover networks of human trafficking businesses.

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Credit Repair Process for Survivors of Human Trafficking

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 18:11:35 +0000

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a U.S. government agency responsible for overseeing financial products and services for consumers, has published details of a new process for victims and survivors of trafficking to block adverse information from their credit reports that resulted from their trafficking experience. This guide was created to provide survivors and advocates with additional information about this process. This process is new and will continue to evolve. We will continue to provide updates as we get more information.

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Labor Trafficking On Specific Temporary Work Visas Report

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 15:31:18 +0000

Temporary work visas are supposed to be good for both workers and the U.S. economy. In theory, these visas allow U.S. businesses to fill mostly low-wage jobs that would otherwise sit vacant while giving migrant workers an opportunity to earn more than they can in their home countries. Indeed the migrants are often referred to as “guest” workers – a term that implies dignity and respect. But in practice, data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline shows that these guests — workers who have followed all the rules and laws and are expecting simply to earn a decent living and return home — are frequently victimized by trafficking or exploitation.

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