Truck driving and trafficking
Human trafficking takes a variety of forms and affects a wide range of people, but particularly women and children of all ages and ethnicities. Simply defined, human trafficking occurs when a person is bought or sold, either for work or for sex and represents one of this country’s most pervasive human rights violations (Truckers Against Trafficking). Law enforcement and activist groups are attacking the problem from multiple flanks, however truckers are proving to be invaluable in identifying cases of human trafficking as they traverse the same highways.
As truck drivers run their routes across the United States, they find themselves playing the role of eye witness and whistleblower in many human trafficking cases. At gas stations, truck stops and other stops along the road, truckers find themselves in many ideal environments for traffickers, and with proper training and raised awareness, are able to call the national human trafficking hotline or alert authorities directly about the crime.
On the road: Truck driving and signs of human trafficking
Human trafficking is a problem identified and reported in all 50 states and it has been estimated that over 40 million people worldwide are in human traffic enslavements (TAT).
This is a simultaneously shocking and unacceptable number. Prostitution accounts for a large portion of the global human trafficking crisis, and too many women and children are exploited and enslaved from vulnerable populations –the homeless and those unfamiliar with the area. Authorities and experts recommend keeping your eyes and ears open and educating yourself to recognize the signs of human trafficking as truck drivers. If you see under-age children in situations that appear to be compromised, don’t hesitate to call the national human trafficking hotline. Be aware when and why a situation doesn’t look like it adds up; thousands of under-age children are being sex trafficked every day.
An estimated 40 million people worldwide are in human traffic enslavements.
– truckers against trafficking
10,583
Number of human trafficking cases reported in 2022
Keep your eyes and ears open to situations that don’t look right.
National Human Trafficking Hotlines
1-888-373-78888
Text 233733
Taking action: Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT)
Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) is coming at this problem head-on. By providing education and resources on the subject of human trafficking directly to the people closest to identifying victims, TAT is relying on truck drivers to be the eyes and ears out on the open road. Truckers Against Trafficking provides formal training for truck drivers, equipping them with the knowledge and tools they need to identify and act when human trafficking is suspected.
The Truckers Against Trafficking website is filled with stories from truckers who have identified victims of human trafficking and reported them, speeding their victims toward safety. By creating the organization and a way for trainees to identify themselves and their trucks, TAT has engineered a way for victims to also identify those who are in a position to help. See a TAT bumper sticker on an 18-wheeler? That truck driver has gone through the training needed to take swift, effective action in disrupting the domestic human trafficking crisis.
How can truckers stop human trafficking?
Because of the unique job description and environment, truck drivers have an ideal vantage point for identifying human trafficking violations. Because of their amenities and general purposes, truck stops are often ideal locations for human traffickers to make their exchanges (Human Trafficking Hotline). In commercial sex trafficking, it is common for traffickers to move victims from city to city, operating exclusively out of truck stops. Truckers passing through are often able to identify women and children who look out of place or more clearly victims of human trafficking.
Additionally, human traffickers will use the same Citizens Band (CB) short-circuit radios to advertise sex. Truckers can familiarize themselves with the human trafficking slang used to mask the intentions and alert authorities if they overhear deals being promoted across the airwaves. These tips and more actionable things can be learned through Truckers Against Trafficking and becoming trained to identify, report, and eliminate human trafficking from our neighborhoods across America.
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