Blog

The 2024 Hotline Data Is Here—And It Tells a Story of Hope, Resilience, and Action

June 12, 2025
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 … Continued

Opinion: First Federal Criminal Record Relief Bill will Help Survivors Break Free From the Past and Pursue a Viable Future

January 23, 2025
Advocates across the anti-human-trafficking field are calling on Congress to pass the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act, which would create the first federal pathway for survivors of labor and sex trafficking to clear criminal records resulting from their trafficking experience. This law would break down a massive barrier to survivors’ economic stability and mobility, as having … Continued

After Six Years, Catherine Chen Decides to Step Down as Polaris’s CEO

December 10, 2024
After six years in executive leadership, Catherine Chen has announced her intention to step down as CEO. The Polaris Board of Directors has appointed Jen Jinks and Taskeen Hamidullah-Bahl as interim co-CEOs to lead the organization while it undertakes a search for the next leader of Polaris.   Catherine joined Polaris as a Chief Program Officer … Continued

Meeting Our Mission With Hope

November 7, 2024
As our country  prepares to transition to the next presidential administration, a new Congress, and new local leaders, our organizational values that have grounded our work for the last 22 years remain unchanged. The mission at Polaris is clear: End human trafficking and support survivors on their journeys of freedom. We will continue to center … Continued

Left Outside: The Vulnerability of Survivors Facing Housing Instability

September 12, 2024
The reactions to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson are still rippling across the country. At the end of June, the Court held that arresting a person sleeping outside for lack of housing is not a violation of the Eighth Amendment, which protects against cruel and unusual punishment by the government. Although … Continued

The 2SLGBTQIA+ Community Needs More Support Systems and Inclusive Policies to Reduce Vulnerabilities to Trafficking

June 1, 2024
Transgender people exist within the perfect storm of vulnerabilities that human traffickers use to exploit them. For example, trans people often lack familial support, are harassed for simply being who they are or supporting others like them, and experience rejection from services and opportunities – like housing and medical care. Traffickers take advantage of these … Continued

Referral Pathways: A Collaborative Strategy for Financial Inclusion

April 25, 2024
Financial abuse is one of the primary ways traffickers enforce control over the people they exploit, and how they profit from that exploitation.

Victim Blaming in Family Court: How Child Custody Impacts Survivors

March 8, 2024
Trafficking survivors aren’t defined only by their exploitation — they play many more roles and carry more identities than survivor. One of the most common identities survivors also hold is mother. Survivors support their families, wanting to see their children thrive. Unfortunately, their ability to care for their children can run into systemic barriers resulting … Continued

Prioritizing Survivor Voices at the Federal Level: Criminal Records Relief

October 27, 2023
Without consistent and clear state laws and federal legislation, criminal records remain one of the biggest obstacles that survivors face in rebuilding their lives after exploitation.

Need help? Polaris operates the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline.