The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is a comprehensive guide about domestic and global anti-trafficking efforts. The report is published by the U.S. Department of State annually. 

“We take these stories to heart. We use them as fuel to motivate us to action as we work together to end human trafficking once and for all.”

– U.S. Secretary of State, Michael R. Pompeo

The U.S. Government publishes the TIP Report as a way to engage foreign governments about human trafficking. Each country faces unique challenges, threats, and successes in the fight against trafficking. For example, traffickers in Brazil often use religious guises to lure victims in, while traffickers in the U.S. often prey on children in the foster care system. 

The U.S. Government calls on each country to take the necessary steps to address human trafficking within their respective borders. It is also important to recognize each citizen’s role in joining the fight against trafficking.

“Public perceptions about human trafficking have a major impact on the way governments address it. If well informed about the various forms of human trafficking, the public can be the eyes and ears of their communities and can put pressure on law enforcement to make it a priority.”

U.S. TIP REPORT

The bulk of the TIP Report consists of an in-depth report on each country and their efforts to fight trafficking. Every country is placed in Tier 1, 2, 3, or “Special Case”. The tier ranking is assigned based on how the anti-trafficking efforts measure up against the minimum Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) standards. A summary of the United States’ tier report is below.

United States of America: Tier 1 (p. 484)

• The United States remained in Tier 1 because the government fully meets the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking.
• Prioritized recommendations: Increase investigation/prosecution of labor trafficking cases, proactively identify potential trafficking victims among vulnerable populations, strengthen efforts to reduce the demand for commercial sex and labor trafficking, etc.
• Prosecution: 849 investigations opened related to human trafficking, 230 federal human trafficking prosecutions initiated, 526 traffickers convicted, all in FY 2018
• Trafficking profile: Victims originate from almost every region of the world. The top 3 countries of origin in FY 2018 were the United States, Mexico, and the Philippines. 

Click here for the full 2019 TIP Report. 

We are grateful for the U.S. Government’s initiative to create an international discussion on the fight against trafficking. Everyone can make a difference in this fight, and we intend to continue pushing forward in our mission to end human trafficking worldwide.