January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, which is a month aimed at bringing awareness and attention to the national and global issue of human trafficking. To help combat this issue, ContainerPort Group is proud to partner with Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT). CPG owner-operators receive this training as part of their onboarding.
What is TAT?
Truckers Against Trafficking is a non-profit organization whose mission is to "educate, equip, empower and mobilize members of the trucking, bus and energy industries to combat human trafficking." Today, they have over seven million members who help support the mission of discovering and disrupting human trafficking networks.
TAT offers a variety of field training tools to educate truckers like you across the country on the warning signs of human trafficking and how to report it to authorities.
WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?
Human trafficking is the exploitation of humans through force, fraud or coercion for the purposes of commercial sex or forced labor. Traffickers make a profit off of the exploitation of their victims. There are an estimated 40 million victims of human trafficking across the globe. Many of these victims are minors and women of color. Trafficking can happen anywhere and is extremely commonplace. It can happen in homes, factories, and even local businesses. This is why it is so important to know the signs.
RED FLAGS THAT MAY INDICATE TRAFFICKING TO WATCH FOR:
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A person with no knowledge of their whereabouts and no identification
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A person who is not able to freely communicate
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Unusual CB chatter about “commercial company” or flashing lights signaling “buyer” location
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A vehicle that seems out of place and is dropping a person off at a truck and picking them up 15-20 minutes later
- People that appear to be branded
- Overhearing anyone talking about making a quota.
EVERYDAY HEROES NEEDED.
So, why truckers? It's simple. Who better to help discover and disrupt human trafficking networks? Truckers are on the road and are more likely to see or hear things the general public might miss. Truck stops and rest areas are common places for victims of human trafficking to frequent.
How can I help?
- Watch the TAT Training Video and learn how to recognize the signs when someone is being trafficked.
- Register and become certified as a Trucker Against Trafficking.
- If you see something suspicious, call your local law enforcement or the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
- Request TAT Materials.
- Download the Truckers Against Trafficking App.
Human trafficking happens in all 50 states, it can happen to your neighbor, it could even happen to someone in your family. By working together and being educated on how to recognize the telltale signs of trafficking - together we can put the brakes on human trafficking!