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Operations
Our Rescue helps bring police partners together to dismantle sex trafficking ring and rescue survivors

Sex trafficking is a worldwide crime against women and children. Predators often form sophisticated networks to transport unsuspecting victims across international borders and then trap them in a life of sexual servitude.  Stopping these sex traffickers requires a coalition of organizations from different countries working together. That’s where Our Rescue…

2024 OUR RESCUE impact
1 min read
Prevention & Awareness
Our Rescue’s 2024 Highlights: A Year of Impact 

As 2024 draws to a close, Our Rescue is deeply grateful for your contribution in the fight to end sex trafficking and child exploitation. Every milestone reflects the dedication of our team, partners, donors, and supporters worldwide. Together, we’ve made strides to protect the vulnerable, support survivors, and bring justice…

1 min read
Operations
Five New ESD K9s Graduate, Marking 110 Heroes in the Fight Against Child Exploitation

We are excited to announce that five new K9s have completed their specialized Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) training this month. These incredible dogs graduated from the program on November 15, bringing the total number of Our Rescue sponsored ESD K9s worldwide to 110. This milestone was made possible through the…

Operation Drunken, multiple people standing around late at night , OUR Rescue on scene.
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Operations
Operation Drunken 

A Southeast Asian woman is believed to have sexually exploited her 17-year-old transgender niece for nearly a month, using her karaoke bar and massage parlor businesses as fronts to carry out the exploitation.  The Thailand Royal Police’s Anti-Trafficking in Person’s Sub-Division 5 (ATPD) found out about the alleged exploitation first.

Tammy Lee speaking at an OUR Rescue event
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Our Rescue Perspectives
Give to the Max to End Sex Trafficking

Hello all,  We recently announced some exciting news: Our Rescue headquarters is moving to Minnesota.  The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are recognized for supporting a vibrant nonprofit sector, backed by a very generous philanthropic community. Minnesota also has a strong existing ecosystem of nonprofits who share our…

Many U.S. flags staggered in a green grass area
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Statistics
A Veterans Day Message

Today, we proudly honor the extraordinary courage and sacrifice of our nation’s veterans. Their unwavering commitment to protect and serve inspires us every day, and we are especially grateful for the veterans who are part of our team at OUR Rescue. We’re privileged to have individuals like Lance Lueck, Director…

3 min read
Prevention & Awareness
Getting to the Root Causes of Child Trafficking  

Child trafficking is a complex and deeply concerning issue that affects millions of children worldwide. The International Labour Organization (ILO) says trafficking is among “forms of slavery or practices similar to slavery.”    Trafficking happens when someone forces a child to do involuntary labor—such as sex exploitation or servitude—and someone else…

3 min read
Prevention & Awareness
When Trafficking is a Family Business     

Most people can’t imagine trafficking their family members.   Familial trafficking happens when a family member forces another family member to do involuntary labor—such as sex exploitation or servitude—and someone else in the family controls the proceeds. There’s a heightened risk of familial trafficking for children, teens, people with disabilities, and…

4 min read
Prevention & Awareness
Exposing Racial Disparities in Human Trafficking 

Black, indigenous, and migrant populations are disproportionately affected by human trafficking. As a result, addressing human trafficking requires acknowledging racial disparities and addressing systemic issues that contribute to vulnerable people.   Trafficking is often a story of poverty and systemic inequalities   Poverty or economic vulnerability can lead people to trafficking. According…

2 min read
Prevention & Awareness
Breaking the Cycle of Homelessness and Human Trafficking  

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…

2 min read
Prevention & Awareness
The Reality of LGBTQ+ Child Trafficking 

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…

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Our Rescue Perspectives
Sextortion: A crime against innocence

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…

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Our Rescue Perspectives
Standing Together Against Exploitation 

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…

Bulgarian mobile center project
3 min read
Prevention & Awareness
Bulgarian Mobile Center Project: Empowering At-Risk Communities through Partnership and Innovation

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…

1 min read
Prevention & Awareness
OUR Rescue Partners with Utah Navajo Health System to Empower Indigenous Communities and Combat Sexual Exploitation

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).

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Operations
Operation Big Hat

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…

2 min read
Survivor Care
Our Rescue Partners with Unbound Now in North Texas

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…

1 min read
Prevention & Awareness
Support Survivors: Help Fill Amazon Wish Lists

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.

1 min read
Operations
Charity Making a Difference in the Bluegrass State

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…

2 min read
Survivor Care
Reflections from Indonesia Survivor Care

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…

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Operations
Operation Caged Birds

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…

2 min read
Research and Trends
The 2024 Dirty Dozen List

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…

1 min read
Operations
ESD K9 Tera

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…

Washington DC
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Legal and Policy Advocacy
OUR Rescue Attends Global NCOSE Summit in Washington, D.C.

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…

2 min read
Legal and Policy Advocacy
Bipartisan Kids Online Safety Act Passes Senate 91-3

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…

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Operations
K9 Iris Helping Keep Wisconsin Safe

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…

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Operations
Operation Pakkapao

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…

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Operations
Operation Beacon of Light

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…

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Operations
Operation Amazon

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.

4 min read
Prevention & Awareness
Main Causes of Human Trafficking

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…

1 min read
Operations
June ESD K9 Graduations

Thanks to funding from OUR Rescue donors, five Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9s graduated from training on June 28.

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Operations
Operation Mulley

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…

4 min read
Prevention & Awareness
How Can I Identify Human Trafficking?

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.

1 min read
Operations
K9 Jib Helps Convict Predator

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…

3 min read
Prevention & Awareness
10 Ways to Stop Human Trafficking

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…

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Operations
Nala & the Angry Bird

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…

1 min read
Operations
Bulgarian Border Police Putting Donations to Use

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.

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Operations
Operation RIOMAR

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…

2 min read
Prevention & Awareness
How to Report Human Trafficking 

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. (…

Operation Wonky
1 min read
Operations
Operation Wonky

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…

ESD k9 Boone with handler
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Operations
ESD K9 Boone

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…

Our Rescue Operator standing in front of computer.
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Operations
Operation Los Cabineros

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…

1 min read
Operations
Operation Snow White

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…

6 min read
Prevention & Awareness
The Truth Behind Sound of Freedom

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.

Rosco the dog
2 min read
Operations
More Than a Dog: Rosco’s Impact

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…

A girl stands in a doorframe in Cambodia
4 min read
Research and Trends
Modern-Day Slavery: An Invisible Epidemic in Plain Sight 

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.

A girl sits on steps holding a construction hat
5 min read
Prevention & Awareness
What Is Forced Labor?

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…

A woman's arm is being tattooed with a heart
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Prevention & Awareness
How Do Human Traffickers Mark Their Victims?

Human traffickers sometimes mark their victims with physical markings. These are often tattoos but can appear in various ways on the bodies of victims.

4 min read
Prevention & Awareness
Preventing Human Trafficking at the 2025 Super Bowl

While most of the world is focused on the game, law enforcement and organizations are focused on fighting human trafficking at the Super Bowl.

5 min read
Legal and Policy Advocacy
Why Hotels Are Being Sued For Human Trafficking

Hotels Are Facing a Surge of Human Trafficking Lawsuits

very busy city street filled with people walking across the sreet.
5 min read
Research and Trends
Human Trafficking Statistics and Facts In 2024

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.

1 min read
Survivor Care
Survivor Update: Flora Graduates High School

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.

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Resources for Parents
The Real Person Behind the Character “Giselle” in the Film “Sound of Freedom” and the Story of Her Arrest

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.

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Survivor Care
International Sex Trafficking Ring Dismantled – 51 Survivors Freed!

In a joint effort by the Hellenic Police, the Spanish National Police, INTERPOL, Our Rescue, A21, and Homeland Security Investigations, 22 individuals were apprehended.

24 min read
Survivor Care
Voices of Freedom

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.

Screen grabs from the movie Sound of Freedom
6 min read
Prevention & Awareness
Sound of Freedom: the Faces of Human Trafficking

"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.

6 min read
Prevention & Awareness
How Big of a Problem is Human Trafficking?

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.

Parent talking with child about online safety
12 min read
Resources for Parents
How can I, as a parent, protect my kids?

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?”

1 min read
Operations
Is Human Trafficking Happening in the United States?

Human trafficking is happening all over the world and the United States is no exception.

2 min read
Survivor Care
Survivor Story: Susie

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…