Category
Sex Trafficking
When we think about human trafficking, we often picture traffickers, the recruiters and manipulators; or we focus on rescue and the moment someone reaches safety. Both of these pieces matter deeply. But there is another part of the story that is harder to talk about, a part that quietly sustains the entire system. The buyers. The…
In order to successfully combat human trafficking today, we must understand that everything we thought we knew about who the traffickers are is incomplete. In the past, we were warned about “strange white vans” or being abducted while traveling in foreign countries while on vacation. The modern-day trafficker has become more concealed, while still hiding in plain sight. The reality…
While most of the world is focused on the game, law enforcement and organizations are focused on fighting human trafficking at the Super Bowl.
Awareness campaigns and police operations run in Super Bowl host cities have garnered lots of media attention. But does the Super Bowl truly lead to an increase in instances of human trafficking?
January is recognized as Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time to strengthen awareness, expand education, and encourage collective action to address human trafficking before it occurs. This month, Our Rescue is joining the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign as an official partner, aligning efforts to support prevention-focused,…
This January 11, for National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, Our Rescue hosted a free webinar titled “The Digital White Van,” with experts from DHS’s Blue Campaign, Know2Protect, Yahoo Security Engineers, SEARCH and Our Rescue, including a survivor of sex trafficking. January 11th reminds…
Human trafficking prevention month takes place every January and focuses on raising awareness, educating the public, and calling communities to action in preventing human trafficking in all its forms. In 2010, the President of the United States formally dedicated January as a national awareness month, calling on individuals, communities, businesses,…
While many traffickers may have historically relied on in-person recruitment at places like bus stations, malls, and vulnerable neighborhoods, the digital age has radically expanded their toolkit with alarming statistics revealing that more and more human trafficking cases started online. Recent data shows that…
This holiday season, children should be safe. Human trafficking has been reported in all 50 U.S. states. In 2024, the CyberTipline received 20.5 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation. To combat these crimes and fuel the mission during this crucial season of giving, Our Rescue is launching Operation Giving Tree, offering you a chance to directly strengthen the fight…
This Giving Tuesday, every dollar you give to Our Rescue will be doubled, helping to rescue and empower more survivors, and bring both awareness and change to stop the crisis of sex trafficking and child exploitation of our most vulnerable populations around the world. Giving Tuesday is a global day…
This Give to the Max Day every dollar you give to Our Rescue will be doubled, helping to rescue and empower more survivors, and bring both awareness and change to stop the crisis of sex trafficking and child exploitation of our most vulnerable populations around…
Did you know giving can be a tax benefit? As the year comes to a close, many supporters choose to make contributions that not only strengthen the fight against sex trafficking and child exploitation but may also offer tax advantages. Because Our Rescue is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, donations made before December 31 may…
Hear directly from the men and women dedicating their lives to protecting the vulnerable At Our Rescue, we proudly empower and support the heroic work of law enforcement both domestically and internationally. Across the U.S., digital forensic units and police agencies play a critical role in the fight against child…
Eight years ago, Suzie’s life changed forever. What began as a relationship with someone she thought cared for her, soon turned into manipulation and control. “I was young and naïve,” Suzie said. “This guy really liked me and wanted to know everything about me. Little did I know, he was…
The Digital Evolution of Exploitation Human Sex Trafficking and online exploitation has evolved dramatically for consumers and criminals alike. And for those working in the fight against exploitation, understanding how technology can both enable predators as well as stopping predators is crucial for developing effective countermeasures. According to the…
“If I can bring help to even one person to understand what’s happening, to see the signs, to know how to act, that’s enough,” said Nick Nanton, Emmy Award-Winning Director. “Even if it’s just one parent, one teacher, one community member who can make a difference, that’s why…
A new report by the 2025 Freedom Collaborative warns that perpetrators of human trafficking are pushing into new territory, funneling victims from East Africa and Horn of Africa into Southeast Asia, including the countries of Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand. Ethiopia is also emerging as a key…
When *Luya returned to Zambia after surviving human trafficking, she carried the weight of trauma and uncertainty. Life at home was not easy, she needed emotional healing and faced economic hardship. Yet even in the midst of this struggle, she began taking small but powerful steps to rebuild her life. The first…
Claiming to be a shaman in Ecuador, a Peruvian national named Luzgardo M. used spiritual rituals as a cover to secretly exploit children. Investigators discovered that he was filming minors during these so-called ceremonies, actively producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) under the guise of spiritual practices. In July of 2025,…
A 24-year-old man living in Central Thailand was quietly collecting disturbing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), content authorities believe he downloaded from private chat groups. Though he denied producing any of the files, he admitted to accessing and storing them on his phone. That phone would later be found to…
In the spring of 2025, law enforcement received a call about a missing 15-year-old girl. The caller, who had taken the girl’s phone, told officers about her boyfriend who was a man going by the name Devan “Harmon.” At just eighteen years old, Devan was homeless and had reportedly moved…
Traffickers don’t stay in one place, and neither can we. – Derek Benner, CEO At Our Rescue, we’re evolving our global presence to become more impactful, and mission aligned – meeting the needs of our partners. We’re always asking ourselves how we can do more,…
*Survivor name changed for privacy Aisha * was only 17 when her world changed. She left her village in Eastern Uganda believing she found work at a domestic job in neighboring Kenya. But the promise was a lie. What awaited her instead was exploitation, isolation, and fear. Far from home,…
In May 2025, hundreds of law enforcement officers across North Texas joined forces for one mission: to rescue children. Operation Soteria Shield, a month-long effort led by the FBI Dallas and the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, targeted individuals exploiting minors online, and what unfolded was…
When two Nigerian women were approached by a young woman and her male partner and offered jobs in domestic work, the women were receptive. They were told that the jobs would be high paying, though they needed to move to Ghana to accept them. The women agreed and traveled to…
The Hidden Crisis Operating in Plain Sight Across the United States, an estimated 7,500 to 9,000 illicit massage businesses (IMBs) operate as fronts for one of the most pervasive forms of human sex trafficking in America today. These illegal massage parlors represent far more than isolated criminal…
The Dark Market Economics of Human Trafficking Beyond the Human Cost A $172.6 billion industry thrives in the shadows of our global economy, profiting from human suffering (International Labour Organization [ILO], Global Estimates Report, 2023). Human trafficking generates profits that rival some of the world’s largest…
ARLINGTON, Texas — Sex crimes against children are surging online, creating a backlog of digital evidence piling up faster than police officers across the US can sort through. Cyber tips for child sexual abuse material (CSAM) cases have tripled nationwide since 2020. This leaves police departments facing a logjam of…
Our Rescue Shines a Light on Sex Trafficking to Mark International Women’s Day Minneapolis Comedy for a Cause event on March 7 to raise local awareness and resources to support survivors Trafficking survivor and stand-up comedian Marti MacGibbon to headline event MINNEAPOLIS (March 5, 2025) –…
In February, Our Rescue’s Training & Prevention, Survivor Care, and Rescue Operations teams traveled to Malta—a beautiful island country on the Mediterranean Sea–with a shared mission: empower those on the front lines of justice. Malta is on the Tier 2 Watchlist of the U.S. Department of State’s Trafficking in Persons…
Learn how survivor-centered approaches are transforming justice systems, with groundbreaking results in Tarrant County, Texas. As the conversation around human trafficking gains urgency in the public eye, a transformative shift puts survivor care at the center of the process, from the first intervention on the streets all the way to…
Over the past day, disturbing markings such as “HELP” found on Google Maps in LA went viral, sparking fears of human trafficking in the area. While the Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed there is no legitimate threat, and the images are over a year old, the incident highlights a…
Human trafficking is happening everywhere, including in all 50 U.S. states, and short-term rental properties are not immune. Our Rescue CEO Tammy Lee joined the “Short Term Rental Secrets” podcast to discuss how this pervasive issue can infiltrate communities in unexpected ways. Short-term rentals are typically homes and apartments rented through…
National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, observed on January 11, is a call to join our collective movement to protect vulnerable individuals from human trafficking around the globe. As an organization, we partnered with communities across the U.S. and asked them to take a stand and Join the Fight™ against sex trafficking…
There is a lot of confusion about the realities of human trafficking and sex trafficking. Many people have unrealistic ideas about sex trafficking based on sensationalized movies, the media, or assumptions. Dispelling myths helps to raise awareness about the true nature of sex trafficking. If you want to help people…
Several factors make children and adolescents more susceptible to sex trafficking. Most traffickers know their victims, either through family, friends, or online connections. Traffickers often present themselves as a love interest or trusted mentor/parental figure—gaining the victim’s adoration, affection, and trust, before eventually exposing them to sex trafficking. Having…
There are many signs of sex trafficking. While not every warning sign means someone is being trafficked, each additional warning sign leads to a greater possibility that human trafficking is taking place. Remember, traffickers can be of any age or gender; they can be a relative, romantic partner, neighbor, acquaintance,…
Child trafficking devastates millions of vulnerable children worldwide, stripping them of their fundamental rights to safety, education, and childhood itself. This form of modern slavery flourishes in shadows across every nation, demanding urgent attention and coordinated action from communities, law enforcement, and advocacy organizations. The Staggering Scale of Child Trafficking…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.
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…
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. (…
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.
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.
"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.
Human trafficking is happening all over the world and the United States is no exception.
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.
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…
Illicit massage parlors are a growing issue in the realm of human trafficking and are easily disguisable in society, making this type of crime difficult to notice. Educating oneself on the signs are the first steps in tackling this widespread issue.
“If people hear my story, then they will know the reality we face. I know this happens to more men, I still know men stuck in the system. I want my story out there so that people will know, people will be angry, and people will fight for change. Then, maybe someday, this will stop happening.”
Child sex trafficking has been reported in all 50 U.S. States. Read the most common forms of trafficking & exploitation.
There is a common misconception that human trafficking victims are kept in cages and chains. While this is not outside the realm of possibilities in the most egregious cases, human trafficking is so pervasive, in part, due to how easily it can be kept under the radar.