Most of us take a safe and stable home for granted. People with housing insecurity risk of becoming victims of both sex and/or labor trafficking. The odds that an unhoused person will be trafficked are considerably higher than a person with a secure place to live. The overlap between homelessness…
Up to 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBTQ+ which can lead to increased vulnerability to traffickers. The Polaris Project found that LGBTQ+ people are at higher risk of trafficking and exploitation.1 LGBTQ+ youth have distinct challenges that lead to increased vulnerability to traffickers. An estimated…
As a mom who worried everyday about my daughter’s online safety when she was a tweener and teen, I can finally breathe easier now that she is an adult. To all the parents and caring adults out there, we want to help you breathe easier as well. Throughout October, OUR…
by Tammy Lee, CEO of OUR Rescue Eight months ago, I became the CEO of OUR Rescue. I’m launching this blog to create a space where we can have candid discussions about the challenges we face in combating sex trafficking and child exploitation. I hope that, together, we can bring…
In a remote Roma neighborhood in Bulgaria, a mobile education center is bringing hope and knowledge to children who once lived in the shadow of exploitation. This innovative project is the result of a unique collaboration between OUR Rescue and Foundation for Hope, a local NGO that has been tirelessly…
From left to right: Ophelia Holiday (Sexual Assault Prevention Specialist for UNHS), June Haskell (OUR Rescue Director of Survivor Engagement), Allison Smith (OUR Rescue Senior Director of Education), and Thomasina Holly (Sexual Assault Response Coordinator for UNHS).
Officials in Asia reported that a woman was using her power as the owner of a karaoke bar to exploit two teenage girls, selling them for sex. Local police contacted OUR Rescue to request that we assist their investigative efforts. At that point, officials knew the bar was recruiting females…
Unbound Now is a global organization with a mission to end human trafficking through prevention, professional training, and survivor advocacy. With a presence across Texas, Louisiana, and several other cities worldwide, Unbound Now is committed to fostering collaboration between communities, law enforcement, and government agencies to create lasting change. The…
We need your help to provide school supplies and basic needs to survivors and individuals at risk of human trafficking! By contributing in-kind donations of these items, you can make a direct impact and provide much-needed support.
Charity, one of the 100 Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9s supported by OUR Rescue, has been working with the Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Special Victims Unit of the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General since March. In just a few months on the job, the two-year-old Labrador Retriever has…
At OUR Rescue, we are deeply committed to not only ensuring rescues and arrests but to also helping secure justice for survivors. In early July, an OUR Rescue Survivor Care manager was waiting to testify as an expert witness for a baby trafficking case in Jakarta, Indonesia. We are grateful…
In the Caribbean, a sex trafficking investigation began after the Dominican Consulate received details that a woman was allegedly being held against her will and sex trafficked at an apartment by a known sex trafficking ring. AMERIPOL Colombia and the Dominican National Police (DNP) then got involved. At the request…
Each year, the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), a leading non-profit organization exposing the links between all forms of sexual abuse and exploitation, publishes the Dirty Dozen List. It identifies 12 “mainstream contributors” who they find to be facilitating, enabling, or profiting from sexual abuse and exploitation. Here are…
Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 Tera is helping the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Illinois apprehend predators. Earlier this year, she found key evidence in a case that began when a messaging app detected multiple child sexual abuse material (CSAM) files on its platform. Authorities identified 24-year-old Jared Honegger as the…
OUR Rescue CEO Tammy Lee, and members of the team were honored to participate in the 2024 Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation (CESE) Global Summit, hosted by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) in Washington, D.C. This event gathers leading voices from around the world to address the pervasive…
The Kids Online Safety and Privacy Act (KOSPA) is a comprehensive bill that’s designed to better protect minors from sexual exploitation, violence, and other online dangers. KOSPA was formed after two separate bills – the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) and the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA…
Iris, an Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9, is hard at work in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The 6-year-old Labrador Retriever has helped law enforcement in three separate cases since late May, leading to multiple arrests. In a county neighboring Kenosha, an investigator discovered that Ryan St. John, 46, shared and distributed child…
In a beach town, a woman sexually exploited two teenage girls at the karaoke bar she owned, according to multiple agencies in Asia. OUR Rescue investigators used open-source intelligence to locate the karaoke bar after suspecting it of employing and exploiting minors. With permission from local authorities, we then visited…
A South American man allegedly produced and distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of a 14-year-old. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children CyberTipline was the first to hear of this potential crime. With it being within their jurisdiction, the Ecuadorian National Police (ENP) got involved. Unidad Contra La…
In a tribe in the Amazon rainforest, a father and two uncles were allegedly sexually abusing six children. The Ecuadorian National Police (ENP) found out about the possible crimes in March 2024 when the children’s mother came forward to authorities. The ENP’s human trafficking unit then planned a rescue operation.
A crime involving the exploitation of someone for the purpose of compelled labor or a commercial sex act through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. (DHS) Where a person younger than age 18 is induced to perform a commercial sex act, it is a crime…
Thanks to funding from OUR Rescue donors, five Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9s graduated from training on June 28.
Two women were allegedly sexually exploiting a 17-year-old in Thailand for nearly two months, according to authorities. Knowing the minor had a young daughter that she was responsible for, the women reportedly took advantage of her financial vulnerability. An investigation into potential criminal activity began after local law enforcement found…
There are many potential signs of human trafficking. Signs can be physical or emotional. Suspicious activities and concerning situations are also possible indicators that something may be wrong.
On May 30, a North Dakota judge sentenced predator Nicholas Morgan-Derosier to 40 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to seven criminal charges tied to possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Jib, an Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 supported by OUR Rescue, helped the Grand Forks…
Human trafficking impacts millions of people around the world each day, with sex trafficking and labor trafficking being the most prevalent forms. However, there is hope in the fight to stop human trafficking. Here are 10 proven strategies, beginning with five immediate actions you can take. Raise Awareness – Protect…
The following is a firsthand account from Detective Gill of the Seattle Police Department. I have been a Seattle Police Officer for 17 years. It was a natural choice for me; I’ve always had a strong desire to help people in need. Joining the ICAC unit in 2015 felt like…
Over the last 12 months, the Bulgarian Border Police (BBP) have investigated 31 cases of human trafficking and assisted numerous individuals using technical equipment and vehicles that were donated by OUR Rescue. So far, 14 of the cases have been presented for prosecution, while investigations are ongoing in nine others.
In Spain, officials say that 14 women were being forced into commercial sex work after suspected traffickers used elderly caregiver job offers to lure the women to the country. Traffickers reportedly forced the women to be available 24 hours a day and live in extremely unsanitary conditions. When they were…
If you have any reason to believe that someone is in immediate danger, please contact law enforcement immediately by calling 911. A crime involving the exploitation of someone for the purpose of compelled labor or a commercial sex act through the use of force, fraud, or coercion. (…
A bar owner was reportedly offering free accommodations, water, and electricity to attract new employees. After placing himself in a position of increased power, he reportedly encouraged six vulnerable hires to engage in sex work. Of these females, five were minors. The vigilant OUR Rescue team in Asia used information…
An Illinois man is alleged to have secretly recorded his stepdaughter and other family members by using a camera that was disguised as a screw. Police say Timothy Mol, 45, placed the camera in a switch plate – the small piece of plastic that surrounds a light switch – on…
In Peru, it has been reported that two men worked together to create and distribute Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) of boys between 8-10 years old. One of the suspects operated an internet center on the first floor of his home. With video games available to be played, this gave…
In Thailand, a woman allegedly began trafficking a 13-year-old on her first day of work at a karaoke bar. For six days, the minor was reportedly exploited to provide business clients with the specific sexual services they desired. OUR Rescue operators became suspicious of criminal activity at the bar and…
With your newfound awareness gained from the film, knowing accurate information about child exploitation and human trafficking is the next step to effectively fight this unimaginable crime.
Dogs are often described as “man’s best friend” because they provide unconditional love to their families and those around them. Rosco, a 2-year-old labrador retriever, fits that description perfectly. However, he is no ordinary dog. He works to keep children safe by fighting back against predators seeking to sexually exploit…
Slavery is often talked about in the past tense, as if it no longer exists and hasn’t for quite some time. Unfortunately, that is not the reality.
Defining Forced Labor “Forced labor occurs when individuals are compelled against their will to provide work or service through the use of force, fraud, or coercion.” (U.S. Department of Homeland Security) Specifically, forced labor refers to individuals 18 and older. Child labor, a subsection of forced…
Human traffickers sometimes mark their victims with physical markings. These are often tattoos but can appear in various ways on the bodies of victims.
While most of the world is focused on the game, law enforcement and organizations are focused on fighting human trafficking at the Super Bowl.
Hotels Are Facing a Surge of Human Trafficking Lawsuits
From high profile cities in the United States to remote locations around the world, human trafficking is a relatively silent epidemic that impacts communities everywhere.
Flora was trafficked when she was 11 years old by a local gang in her hometown that was run by a judge. This was her life for two years before O.U.R. intervened.
In 2014, O.U.R. conducted its biggest rescue operation to date. It was called Operation Triple Take, with three operations in three different Colombian cities to rescue victims of sex trafficking.
In a joint effort by the Hellenic Police, the Spanish National Police, INTERPOL, Our Rescue, A21, and Homeland Security Investigations, 22 individuals were apprehended.
We stand with survivors of human trafficking and exploitation in their healing journey. With your support, we can continue to provide survivors with invaluable tools they need to heal and thrive.
"Sound of Freedom" is an award-winning film that depicts both real-life and dramatized rescue missions to help save children who are being sex trafficked across the globe. Some of these stories are based on the actual work of O.U.R.’s partnership with law enforcement to bring criminal traffickers to justice.
How big of a problem is human trafficking? To answer this question, we don’t want to just tell you that human trafficking (most commonly labor and sex trafficking) is a huge problem, but also provide numbers that can be readily understood.
After people learn about human trafficking and the evil that exists in the world, one of the most common questions we get asked at OUR Rescue is, “How do I protect my kids?”
Human trafficking is happening all over the world and the United States is no exception.
Susie supported herself financially by braiding hair. She went door to door selling her services to locals in her hometown in East Africa. She had been toiling away in her small hometown, feeling trapped by circumstances that she couldn’t control. That’s when a chance encounter with a European man changed…
You can take charge of you and your family’s online safety by taking simple measures online. We have collected some simple steps to secure your accounts - learn more today.
When people think about human trafficking, they often imagine the scenario in the major feature film Taken, where a young girl is abducted on a trip to Europe and subsequently exploited for sexual situations with paying customers. While there are certainly real elements of human trafficking present in the film,…
As the Russian war continues in Ukraine, the threat of trafficking exploits grows.
Responding to a request for assistance from the Dominican government’s Specialized Anti-Trafficking Police (PETT), O.U.R. Operators went undercover to confirm the existence of multiple transnational trafficking rings. These networks were reportedly dedicated to recruiting young women, between 15-23 years of age, to be sexually exploited for financial gain.
Knowing how to spot a fake profile can go far in protecting you and your loved ones against online exploitation.
Discussing the relationship between mental illness and human trafficking can help create an environment of understanding of the experiences of survivors, as well as how different mental conditions can affect one’s risk of being trafficked.
While human trafficking affects every demographic, studies show that LGBTQ+ youth are at an elevated risk for being trafficked. This risk comes from higher rates of discrimination, less social and economic support, and higher rates of homelessness than the average youth (Polaris Project.) This combination of vulnerabilities culminates in an…
Once Sgt. Kuoha realized how common these sorts of crimes and online enticement were, even in his small jurisdiction, he and his team were determined to teach the predators a lesson.
The most effective way to stop these criminals is by preventing young people from becoming victims.