This is the story of how survivors shaped a groundbreaking approach to justice — one that listens, protects, and disrupts trafficking at its source.

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“Why don’t they just leave?” It’s a question we hear often about adult victims of human trafficking, usually coming from a place of urgency and care. But it overlooks something essential: Leaving can be the most dangerous part of a trafficking situation.

That’s where safety planning comes in.

“All trafficking situations are dangerous in some way,” explains a specialist with the National Human Trafficking Hotline. “Safety planning is about helping someone in that situation think through how to protect themselves — physically, emotionally, and logistically — at every stage.”

Whether someone is considering taking a job that raises concerns, is actively trying to leave a trafficking situation, or has already exited but remains vulnerable, safety planning can be a lifeline. 

And safety planning is not just for the person being trafficked. Family members, friends, and even coworkers sometimes reach out to the Hotline, worried about someone they know. 

Every call is different, but every call is a chance to help someone take back control over their own safety. For the advocates answering the call, it’s not about rescuing — it’s about listening, guiding, and supporting what the survivor needs most.

Safety Isn’t Just Leaving — It’s Planning to Survive

One advocate remembers a survivor who texted the Hotline from a hotel room. She was in a trafficking situation and wanted help, but feared that involving law enforcement would escalate things with her trafficker. Instead, she asked to connect with a service provider who could help her leave safely and access shelter.

The Hotline team moved quickly but carefully, asking:

Is this a safe phone to text on? Where are you, and how long will you be there? Is it safe to leave on foot? Do you have access to transportation or money for a cab?

In this case, the survivor ultimately decided to ask a buyer for extra money to help her leave her trafficker. She called a cab herself. While she was en route, a Hotline advocate coordinated with a local service provider to meet her at a safe location.

Even in the safety of the car, she was overwhelmed. “I’m really scared,” she texted.

The advocate stayed connected with her as she practiced grounding exercises to regulate her nervous system so she could focus on what was next.

With the help of the Hotline advocate, she felt empowered to review the details of her specific situation, evaluate potential plans for leaving, and make an informed decision about how to proceed safely. 

Answering the call in that moment meant holding space for fear and helping her find her footing one step at a time.

“We didn’t know what would happen after that,” the advocate reflected. “But safety planning with the Hotline helped her move one step closer to freedom.”

What Most People Don’t See About Leaving

Many people assume that once law enforcement is involved, the situation is resolved. But for adults, especially those who may lack stable housing or whose trafficking experience involves forced or coerced criminal activity, calling the police can complicate things. 

Safety planning helps survivors weigh not just when to leave, but how to do so without creating new risks. For example, victims may not feel safe disclosing abuse in front of their trafficker. Or if law enforcement can’t act immediately, the risks to a victim can dramatically increase. And even when an intervention happens and they’re removed from their trafficker, survivors often lose access to critical resources: a place to sleep, a way to earn money, or documents that prove their identity.

“If you’re being trafficked in the middle of winter in Michigan,” one advocate noted, “you might stay because the alternative is freezing. That’s a survival decision.”

This is why safety planning asks: What would it take for you to leave — and to stay safe afterward?

Sometimes, that plan includes law enforcement. Since 2007, the Hotline has made more than 31,500 reports to law enforcement in situations where it was required or specifically requested — helping ensure safety while centering survivors’ voices and choices.*

Leaving Isn’t The Last Step

Safety planning isn’t only for people who are actively trying to leave. It’s also essential after someone has exited a trafficking situation, especially when their basic needs and legal status are still uncertain.

One group of survivors had been trafficked while working for a traveling carnival. They were brought to the U.S. on temporary work visas and forced to work 16-hour shifts, living in trailers with no running water or air conditioning. When one person was injured on the job, they weren’t allowed to seek medical care. The injury became permanent.

Months after leaving, they contacted the Hotline through their attorney. They were looking for recognition, validation, and support in the aftermath of their experiences. They had lost their income, their legal documents like IDs and visas, and their ability to return home. Still, they were determined to rebuild.

“They needed someone to listen,” one advocate recalled. “To say: You didn’t deserve that. And here’s what we can do to help.”

The Hotline team gathered reports from multiple concerned family members and agencies to document the full scope of what had happened. That information helped law enforcement and service providers respond with greater clarity. From there, the safety planning continued — focused on recovery: What do you need now? Where do you feel safe? What resources can help stabilize your future?

Why We Center the Survivor’s Voice

Hotline advocates know that survivors are the experts in their own lives. Every decision — whether to leave, stay, disclose, or act — is shaped by risk, timing, and survival.

“We trust the person in the situation to know it best,” said one specialist. “Our role is to ask the right questions, offer support, and make sure our partners — law enforcement, service providers, legal advocates — are prepared to respond when the time comes.”

That also means being honest. The Hotline can support people in the moment, provide referrals, and help coordinate, but advocates aren’t always involved long-term. Still, even a single conversation can shift the trajectory of someone’s life.

“People call us because they need help themselves or because they want to help others. And every time we answer the call, we do it with care, respect, and a deep belief in the survivor’s ability to choose their own path,” the specialist shared. “Sometimes we get to see the full story come together. Sometimes we don’t. But every call is a chance to help move someone closer to safety.”

*All communications with the Hotline are confidential, including contact information, unless the person reaching out: gives permission to share contact information, expresses threat to harm themselves or others, discloses information regarding the abuse, neglect, or trafficking of a minor, or reports a life-threatening emergency or imminent harm.

If you or someone you love are looking for safety planning resources, contact the Hotline or check out our resources online. 

Help Us Keep Answering the Call

When someone calls the Hotline, what they hear on the other end can be life-changing. 

– Learn more about the National Human Trafficking Hotline at humantraffickinghotline.org.
– Give today to help us support survivors, train partners, and ensure someone is always there to answer the call.
– Share this post to help others understand the power of safety planning.

Stop human trafficking today

Help fix the broken systems that make trafficking possible so we can prevent it from happening in the first place.

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The post Hope for Freedom Starts with a Plan  first appeared on Polaris.

Every year, the National Human Trafficking Hotline gives us a deeper understanding of how trafficking is affecting people in the U.S.—and how together, we’re making a difference.

The 2024 statistics reflect thousands of moments when someone reached out for help, support, or simply to be heard. They highlight both the scale of the challenge and the critical role of the Hotline in connecting victims and survivors to support.

This data tells a story—and with the help of our community, it’s one of resilience, recovery, and the power of a call answered.

What the Numbers Show

Last year, the Hotline received 32,309 signals—calls, texts, emails, and online messages—from people across the country. These included:

• 8,024 contacts from victims and survivors, bravely seeking safety or support

• Over 17,900 phone calls, and nearly 5,000 text messages

• Thousands of other signals from community members, service providers, and concerned individuals

These numbers represent individuals reaching out for assistance, information, or to report potential trafficking situations. Each signal is a step toward safety and recovery.

The Human Impact

Behind each statistic is a person—a survivor seeking support or a concerned individual trying to help. The Hotline is a lifeline, offering confidential support and connecting individuals to the resources they need.

Just last month, at least 46 tips shared through the Hotline led to active investigations by law enforcement—demonstrating how vital this connection can be in identifying and interrupting trafficking situations.

The Hotline is often the first step toward freedom. It’s where trained advocates meet every call, text, or message with empathy, information, and real options for support.

When our community gives, speaks out, and raises awareness, we help someone take that first brave step. We ensure that when the call comes in, it’s met with compassion—and action.

You Can Do Something Today

• Donate: Your financial support sustains the Hotline’s operations and outreach efforts. Give now or learn more about how to make a gift.

• Educate: Learn the signs of trafficking and share information within your community.

• Reach out: If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, contact the Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.

Stop human trafficking today

Help fix the broken systems that make trafficking possible so we can prevent it from happening in the first place.

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The post The 2024 Hotline Data Is Here—And It Tells a Story of Hope, Resilience, and Action first appeared on Polaris.

H.R. 2601 would require the operator of the Trafficking Hotline to turn over information shared by the public to state and local law enforcement on demand, regardless of whether or not an adult trafficking victim consents to the involvement of law enforcement. Victims of human trafficking must be able to control when to involve law enforcement in their trafficking situations. 

Because human traffickers often threaten victims and their families if someone calls law enforcement — regardless of who calls — the bill is dangerous to the safety and security of victims and survivors of human trafficking. As a result, we urge members of Congress to vote NO on H.R. 2601. 

Polaris stands against H.R. 2601 for the following reasons: 

1. This mandate violates the trust of confidentiality and autonomy the Trafficking Hotline provides to potential victims. Victims and survivors who call the Trafficking Hotline count on their information remaining confidential. They place their trust in the NHTH to work with them in a way that prioritizes their safety from the moment they call. If this bill is passed into law, victims will stop calling the Hotline to access resources. We know this because they’ve told us, and we’ve listened.
    
2. The Trafficking Hotline already actively works with law enforcement when requested by victims or in a limited scope as required by existing mandates, which are disclosed to callers. The Trafficking Hotline already complies with mandated reporting laws about children who may be trafficked or otherwise harmed, and reports any credible situations where it is clear someone is unable to get help for themselves. From 2016 through August 2022, the Trafficking Hotline has referred more than 7,300 situations to law enforcement. 
    
3. No other crisis hotline is required to turn over information of this nature. To impose this requirement on the National Human Trafficking Hotline would create inconsistency in the experiences of victims compared to when they call a sexual assault, domestic violence or mental health hotline. It would mandate a different standard of care, signaling that protecting individual personal safety of human trafficking victims is not of concern to Congress. 

Catherine Chen, CEO of Polaris, said, “By requiring the sharing of information without the explicit consent of victims, the bill forces the Trafficking Hotline to violate the trust we have built over the years, and signals to victims and survivors of trafficking that the Hotline is not a safe or trustworthy space. Our first priority, as operators of the Trafficking Hotline and as Polaris, is to create and maintain the safest possible space for victims to regain control of their lives, including in how they get help.”

Our 20+ years of experience, and the chorus of survivor and allied voices speaking out against this bill, including some of the original sponsors, shows that H.R. 2601 is not the correct way forward.

Polaris stands against H.R. 2601, and we urge members of Congress to listen to survivors and vote NO.

The post Polaris Stands Against the National Human Trafficking Hotline Enhancement Act (H.R. 2601) first appeared on Polaris.

UPDATED APRIL 2025

Many survivors of human trafficking are also survivors of sexual abuse.

During April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we are exploring the intersection of sexual abuse and human trafficking.

Human trafficking is defined as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts or labor against their will. Sexual abuse can be a method of control that traffickers use – in both sex and labor trafficking situations. We looked at contacts to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline from 2015 through 2022 and examined the number of victims who experienced sexual abuse as a method of control during their trafficking situation. In situations where force, fraud, or coercion was known, we found that:

• 18% of all the victims who experienced combined sex & labor trafficking experienced sexual abuse as a method of control (826 victims).
• 11% of all sex trafficking victims experienced sexual abuse as a method of control (5,892 victims).

From January 2020 through November 2022, we found that 10% of sex trafficking victims who contacted the National Human Trafficking Hotline experienced sexual abuse (6,909 victims), either prior to their trafficking experience or as a method of control during the trafficking experience.

Sexual abuse is also a factor that can make people more vulnerable to human trafficking. Someone who has past experiences of sexual abuse, violence, or trauma could be lured in and taken advantage of by a trafficker who is exploiting their need for something like protection or love. Of the contacts made to the Trafficking Hotline from 2015 to 2021 where a risk factor or vulnerability was known, we found that:

• 4% of all the victims who experienced combined sex & labor trafficking experienced sexual abuse prior to their trafficking situation (107 victims).
• 6% of all sex trafficking victims experienced sexual abuse prior to their trafficking experience (1,590 victims).

There is also a correlation between child sexual abuse and human trafficking. Polaris recently conducted and published the National Survivor Study, a research project designed to shed light on the experiences of human trafficking survivors in the U.S. When researching the conditions that make people vulnerable to trafficking the study found that 84 percent of participants experienced sexual abuse at some point in their childhood.

Sexual abuse and human trafficking are not isolated issues. The correlation between sexual abuse and human trafficking is disturbing and alarming, but not surprising. Sexual abuse can be a vulnerability that traffickers exploit and a way for traffickers to assert control over victims. Human trafficking cannot be left out of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and sexual assault cannot be excluded from the conversation about human trafficking.

Resources

National Human Trafficking Hotline: Call 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733
National Sexual Assault Hotline: Call 800-656-HOPE (4673)
Resources for survivors of sexual assault (National Sexual Violence Resource Center)

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Help fix the broken systems that make trafficking possible so we can prevent it from happening in the first place.

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The post Sexual Assault Awareness Month: How Does Human Trafficking Fit In? first appeared on Polaris.

To serve this mission, the Trafficking Hotline must have the trust of victims and survivors we serve. To that end, the Trafficking Hotline does not report their situations to law enforcement without their consent. Instead, the Trafficking Hotline works with victims to determine what they need to begin to break free and rebuild their lives. This is important because traffickers take consent, choice, and freedom away from victims. To effectively support survivors is to return to them control over their own lives and choices. When and if victims and survivors choose to involve law enforcement, the Trafficking Hotline supports the process every step of the way. 

The Trafficking Hotline reports all situations involving children to appropriate authorities as directed by state and federal protocols. The Trafficking Hotline will also report situations where immediate and escalating violence can be heard or observed. 

Polaris is deeply committed to ensuring traffickers are held accountable and are stopped from being able to continue to victimize people. We actively partner with hundreds of law enforcement agencies all over the country to ensure countless traffickers are arrested and justice is served. 

We look forward to continuing to engage our law enforcement partners, including the attorneys general’s offices, as well as thousands of social service agencies, survivor leaders, and community leaders who we partner with, to ensure the Trafficking Hotline fulfills its mission to provide a safe and trusted place for victims and survivors to get connected to help.

The post Polaris’s Statement on Concerns Related to the National Human Trafficking Hotline first appeared on Polaris.

From zip ties to car seats to perfumed roses, there are a lot of scary rumors out there about how people get recruited into human trafficking. None of them are true – at least that is what we have learned after 15 years of operating the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. But the reality is, in some ways, equally frightening: The vast majority of trafficking victims know and often love or trust their traffickers, who are family members, so-called friends, intimate partners, or even prospective employers.

Still that scary stuff in your social media feed can – understandably – begin to make you wonder. After all, it is somehow easier to imagine that strangers will do us harm than someone we know and care about. You can learn more about traffickers’ use of romantic and family love and a sense of belonging to lure people into exploitation by clicking here. As for that other stuff – about being followed around a Target that you saw on Tik Tok … Well, see below: 

The information below is what we learned looking at contacts made to the Trafficking Hotline since 2015 when we began collecting this kind of data. It shows clearly what not to be scared of – stranger danger.

• Trafficking rarely begins with abduction. In the cases reported to the Trafficking Hotline during this time period, only 6 percent of victims, where entry method into trafficking was known, reported being abducted into their trafficking situation.
• Kidnappers/abductors are not necessarily strangers: Abductions/kidnappings as a precursor to trafficking can be perpetrated by people known to the victims, such as people involved in gangs, members of the victim’s family or an intimate partner.
• Trafficking recruitment methods popularized on social media do not match the reality of what we’re seeing. Despite several, recurring viral social media posts warning about the use of zip ties being used to mark the vehicles of potential victims, car seats being used to lure people into trafficking situations, or drug-laced flowers to incapacitate potential victims, there are no mentions of any of these methods being used to recruit or lure people into trafficking situations. 
• Traffickers generally leverage an existing relationship to recruit victims. As we’ve highlighted in previous years, our data from 2015-2021 shows that traffickers most commonly exploit a familial relationship (21%), an intimate partnership (23%), or recruit their victims through a legitimate job offer or advertisement (36%).

Bottom line: If you are concerned about human trafficking, take time to learn and understand what makes people vulnerable and how you can keep yourself and your community safe. And if you see a rumor about human trafficking in your feed that sounds a little off, check a reliable source – not someone who is trying to rack up views on their social media channel! Then share the real story of human trafficking, not the rumors. 

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Help fix the broken systems that make trafficking possible so we can prevent it from happening in the first place.

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The post Valentine’s Day and Human Trafficking: Love Weaponized for Exploitation first appeared on Polaris.

“To respond to the workers’ mobility in North America, we need a robust safety net that effectively identifies and connects victims and survivors of human trafficking, and related exploitation, to appropriate services. During the summit we focused on strategies to enhance regional cooperation to assist victims and survivors of human trafficking, share data on emerging trends, and identifying opportunities for collaboration in public policy advocacy to prevent and respond to human trafficking across the region,” says Andrea Rojas, Director of Strategic Initiative on Labor Trafficking at Polaris. Polaris operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

“There is a growing need for governments to act decisively to combat labor trafficking in North America. Non-profit organizations cannot do this work alone. National strategies and policies can help coordinate our collective efforts towards making resources more available to victims and survivors,” says Julia Drydyk, Executive Director, The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking. The Centre operates The Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010, a confidential, multi-lingual service that is available 24/7.

“One quarter of Consejo Ciudadano’s human trafficking-related attention is related to labor exploitation and forced labor. It has also detected that migrants are victims of extortion, fraud, kidnapping, and forced labor for criminal groups. Hence, the relevance of Consejo’s coordination with local and federal authorities to share data on how traffickers operate, risk situations and places where the crime occurs; in addition to participating in the design of prevention policies, attention to victims, and monitoring judicial processes,” says Salvador Guerrero Chiprés, president of Consejo Ciudadano. Consejo Ciudadano operates the National Hotline and Chat against Human Trafficking at 800 5533 000, to prevent, provide care and combat this crime in Mexico.
  
Three organizations will meet regularly to continue learning from each other’s experiences and raise awareness among migrants and temporary foreign workers at-risk of being exploited in North America. Hotlines in the three countries will work more closely to provide more appropriate, trauma-informed referrals and person-centred assistance to victims and survivors of human trafficking traveling in North America.
 
For more information or to arrange interviews, please contact:

Flor Canseco, Consejo Ciudadano
prensa@consejociudadanomx.org

Rafael Flores, Polaris
rflores@polarisproject.org

Aziz Froutan, The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking
afroutan@ccteht.ca  

The post North America, United to Combat Human Trafficking first appeared on Polaris.

A call might come from an aspiring actress who accepts a modeling job that turns out to be prostitution. Or from a father of three forced to work 12-hour days with no breaks and no pay. Or a caring neighbor who has noticed the way the housekeeper next door is mistreated. When they contact the Trafficking Hotline, Polaris connects them to local services, helps with safety planning, and assists with reporting to law enforcement if desired.

Beyond meeting immediate needs, the Trafficking Hotline also serves as the largest source of data on trafficking in North America, enabling us to observe trends, improve practices, and advocate for needed resources and system changes. This function is at the core of anti-trafficking response, not only for Polaris but for the entire field.

As we celebrate the Trafficking Hotline’s anniversary this December and look forward to a new year ahead, here are 15 milestones to mark 15 years of keeping the lights on for victims and survivors.

1. Polaris launches the Trafficking Hotline in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2007) Today, the Trafficking Hotline works with more than 3,000 service providers, reporting contacts, and other organizations in its Reporting and Referral Database to make sure victims and survivors get the help they need.
2. Polaris answers an average of 479 calls per month in the Trafficking Hotline’s first full year of operation. (2008)
3. Because texting is a more discreet way for victims to safely contact the Trafficking Hotline, Polaris adds SMS capability through the BeFree textline. (2013) Since then, texting has grown exponentially, especially among youth: From 2019 to 2020, the percentage of texts from potential victims under 18 more than doubled.
4. Using data from the first five years of the Trafficking Hotline, Polaris publishes “Human Trafficking Trends in the United States: National Human Trafficking Resource Center 2007–2012,” advancing a data-driven understanding of the crime. (2013)
5. To support the international safety net, Polaris launches the Global Modern Slavery Directory (GMSD), listing 770+ organizations addressing modern slavery and human trafficking around the globe. (2014) Since then, the site has grown to 2,600+ listings and become the primary resource for international cases on the Trafficking Hotline.
6. Responding to the needs of victims and survivors, Polaris establishes partnerships with transportation and hospitality companies to provide ride shares, flights, and short-term hotel stays to offer emergency support to those leaving situations of trafficking or pursuing their recovery. (2014)
7. In partnership with Consejo Ciudadano, Polaris helps stand up Mexico’s first national human trafficking hotline. (2015) Polaris continues to support Consejo and has advised 15 other countries, such as the UK, Canada, and South Africa, in launching or strengthening their own trafficking hotlines.
8. Analyzing more than 32,000 cases from the Trafficking Hotline, Polaris publishes “The Typology of Modern Slavery,” a first-of-its-kind classification system that identifies 25 main types of human trafficking in the U.S. (2017)
9. Polaris hires a survivor leader to conduct a survivor-centered evaluation of the Trafficking Hotline and provide recommendations for improving, which Polaris starts to implement. (2017) Survivor leadership continues to be a key priority for the Trafficking Hotline and Polaris overall.
10. Polaris publishes “Human Trafficking on Temporary Work Visas: A Data Analysis: 2015-2017,” using Trafficking Hotline data to identify nearly 800 trafficking victims holding guest worker visas. (2018) Polaris has since updated this report for 2022, identifying nearly 4,000 such victims.
11. Collaborating with the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Polaris analyzes 10 years of Trafficking Hotline data in “Human Trafficking at Home: Labor Trafficking of Domestic Workers” to inform recommendations for protecting workers at risk of exploitation. (2019)
12. Given trafficking’s reliance on financial services, Polaris launches the Financial Intelligence Unit to leverage Trafficking Hotline and other data in equipping financial industry and law enforcement partners to disrupt situations of trafficking. (2020)
13. Strengthening the three-way partnership that makes up the North American Safety Net, Polaris hosts the first trilateral North American Human Trafficking Hotlines Summit with Consejo Ciudadano and The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking. (2020) This collaboration is vital for coordinating cases across borders when any of the three hotlines receives a contact.
14. As the COVID-19 pandemic overtakes the world, Polaris rises to the challenge, shifting the Trafficking Hotline to remote operations (2020) and sharing eye-opening data about trafficking trends during lockdowns. (2021)
15. Since launch, the Trafficking Hotline has handled hundreds of thousands of contacts. The latest monthly statistics show more than 17,000 total contacts via call, text, webchat, email, and online tip form — 35 times as many as its first year. (2022)

Stop human trafficking today

Help fix the broken systems that make trafficking possible so we can prevent it from happening in the first place.

Make a Gift

The National Human Trafficking Hotline is supported by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the United States (U.S.) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $4.5 million with 78% funded by ACF/HHS and $1.3 million and 22% funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by ACF/HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit the ACF website, Administrative and National Policy Requirements: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/administrative-and-national-policy-requirements#chapter-8.

The post Answering the Call: 15 Years and Counting first appeared on Polaris.

Enter Polaris’s corporate hospitality partners — and generous individuals from across the country. When local shelters aren’t an option, partnerships like these enable us to use donated hotel points to make reservations for victims and survivors, bridging the gap in available housing. Thus far in 2022, points donations have helped house 37 people and a service dog, giving them a safe space to take the next step on their journey toward healing and freedom.

The Current Shelter Crisis

Hotel points have been invaluable during the pandemic. For those in trafficking situations, COVID-19 made it even harder to leave, given early lockdowns and loss of shelters and safety net services. Among survivors who had already left situations of trafficking, many found themselves back in crisis, jeopardizing their hard-won emotional healing and economic growth.

Polaris quickly saw this reflected in Trafficking Hotline contacts. Early data analysis determined that crisis cases needing assistance within 24 hours surged more than 40%, and emergency shelter requests nearly doubled, mirroring what service providers across the country were seeing in their communities. Meanwhile, already-limited shelter space was stretched even thinner with COVID restrictions, with some sites closing down altogether.

Today, we may be emerging from the acute phase of the pandemic, but the safety net has not recovered. Service providers are calling Polaris directly for their clients, and the Trafficking Hotline continues to receive more calls requesting hotel stays. And the stays are growing longer: Before the pandemic, victims and survivors generally spent about two to three days in hotels before moving into longer-term programs — they are now waiting about five to seven and as many as ten days for something to open up. And even then, they may have to stay in general shelters, which are not always the most supportive for their situations.

How You Can Help

With victims and survivors needing safe shelter options more than ever before, Polaris is redoubling our efforts to find them resources — and you can help us meet their needs.

If you’re a member of Choice Privileges, IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, or Wyndham Rewards, click here to learn how you can donate your points to support victims and survivors in need of emergency shelter. Polaris can use points from these loyalty programs to book stays, and some even allow the conversion of points into monetary donations for Polaris’s work.

If you’re an employee at a hospitality company and are interested in working with Polaris, please contact corporateengagement@polarisproject.org to explore partnership opportunities.

Through your generosity, Polaris can continue to bridge gaps in safe shelter for victims and survivors through the Trafficking Hotline, as we also work to strengthen safety nets and prevent trafficking from happening in the first place.

Thank You to All Our Corporate Hospitality Partners

Stop human trafficking today

Help fix the broken systems that make trafficking possible so we can prevent it from happening in the first place.

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The post Building a Bridge to Safety first appeared on Polaris.

The post Labor Trafficking On Specific Temporary Work Visas Report first appeared on Polaris.