Trinity Mount Ministries - BLUE CAMPAIGN - Homeland Security - Information & Resources

Identify a Victim

Everyone has a role to play in combating human trafficking. Recognizing the signs of human trafficking is the first step to identifying a victim. Our resources page has materials for a more in-depth human trafficking education and a catalog of materials that can be distributed and displayed in your community.

Do not at any time attempt to confront a suspected trafficker directly or alert a victim to your suspicions. Your safety as well as the victim’s safety is paramount.  Instead, please contact local law enforcement directly or call the tip lines indicated on this page:

• Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) to report suspicious criminal activity to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tip Line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. The Tip Line is accessible outside the United States by calling 802-872-6199.
• Submit a tip at www.ice.gov/tips.  Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies on more than 400 laws enforced by ICE HSI, including those related to human trafficking.
• To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH), call 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733). The NHTH can help connect victims with service providers in the area and provides training, technical assistance, and other resources. The NHTH is a national, toll-free hotline available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year. The NHTH is not a law enforcement or immigration authority and is operated by a nongovernmental organization funded by the Federal government.

By identifying victims and reporting tips, you are doing your part to help law enforcement rescue victims, and you might save a life. Law enforcement can connect victims to services such as medical and mental health care, shelter, job training, and legal assistance that restore their freedom and dignity. The presence or absence of any of the indicators is not necessarily proof of human trafficking. It is up to law enforcement to investigate suspected cases of human trafficking.

Learn more about HSI investigations and the victims HSI has assisted from the ICE Newsroom.

To report suspected human trafficking:

1-866-347-2423

To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline:

1-888-373-7888

or text HELP or INFO to

BeFree (233733)

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DOJ - Homeland Security - BLUE CAMPAIGN - WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING?

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What Is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations.

Language barriers, fear of their traffickers, and/or fear of law enforcement frequently keep victims from seeking help, making human trafficking a hidden crime.

Traffickers use force, fraud, or coercion to lure their victims and force them into labor or commercial sexual exploitation. They look for people who are susceptible for a variety of reasons, including psychological or emotional vulnerability, economic hardship, lack of a social safety net, natural disasters, or political instability. The trauma caused by the traffickers can be so great that many may not identify themselves as victims or ask for help, even in highly public settings.

Many myths and misconceptions exist. Recognizing key indicators of human trafficking is the first step in identifying victims and can help save a life. Not all indicators listed are present in every human trafficking situation, and the presence or absence of any of the indicators is not necessarily proof of human trafficking.

The safety of the public as well as the victim is paramount. Do not attempt to confront a suspected trafficker directly or alert a victim to any suspicions. It is up to law enforcement to investigate suspected cases of human trafficking.

Blue Campaign is a national public awareness campaign, designed to educate the public, law enforcement and other industry partners to recognize the indicators of human trafficking, and how to appropriately respond to possible cases. Blue Campaign works closely with DHS Components to create general awareness training and materials for law enforcement and others to increase detection of human trafficking, and to identify victims.

Located within the Office of Partnership and Engagement, Blue Campaign leverages partnerships with the private sector, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), law enforcement and state/local authorities to maximize national public engagement on anti-human trafficking efforts. Blue Campaign’s educational awareness objectives consists of two foundational elements, prevention of human trafficking and protection of exploited persons.

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• a Blue Campaign Parter
• Report a Tip to Law Enforcement
• Human Trafficking Awareness Training
• Get Help From an NGO
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  Resources for Law Enforcement
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To report suspected human trafficking:

1-866-347-2423

To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline:

1-888-373-7888

or text HELP or INFO to

BeFree (233733)

What Is Human Trafficking? Blue Campaign - Homeland Security

Indicators of Human Trafficking

Recognizing key indicators of human trafficking is the first step in identifying victims and can help save a life. Here are some common indicators to help recognize human trafficking:

• Does the person appear disconnected from family, friends, community organizations, or houses of worship?
• Has a child stopped attending school?
• Has the person had a sudden or dramatic change in behavior?
• Is a juvenile engaged in commercial sex acts?
• Is the person disoriented or confused, or showing signs of mental or physical abuse?
• Does the person have bruises in various stages of healing?
• Is the person fearful, timid, or submissive?
• Does the person show signs of having been denied food, water, sleep, or medical care?
• Is the person often in the company of someone to whom he or she defers? Or someone who seems to be in control of the situation, e.g., where they go or who they talk to?
• Does the person appear to be coached on what to say?
• Is the person living in unsuitable conditions?
• Does the person lack personal possessions and appear not to have a stable living situation?
• Does the person have freedom of movement? Can the person freely leave where they live? Are there unreasonable security measures?

Not all indicators listed above are present in every human trafficking situation, and the presence or absence of any of the indicators is not necessarily proof of human trafficking.

To report suspected human trafficking:

1-866-347-2423

To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline:

1-888-373-7888

or text HELP or INFO to

BeFree (233733)

BLUE CAMPAIGN - Homeland Security March 2019

March 2019 For more information visit the Blue CampaignTo report suspected human trafficking: 1-866-347-2423To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)

In this issue:  What’s New with Blue? BLI Corner News You Can Use Social Media Shareables What’s New with Blue? In Case You Missed It: Facebook Live on Reporting Human Trafficking Polaris and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) came together to discuss what happens when you report human trafficking during a Blue Campaign Facebook Live in February. Panelists covered what to expect when calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline, how tips are investigated, and how victims are supported in the process. Watch the full conversation here: http://bit.ly/2BQ4dQH. Human Trafficking 101 It’s always a good time to revisit the indicators of human trafficking. Please share this content in newsletters, on websites, or repurpose it for social media sharing. Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations. Language barriers, fear of their traffickers, and/or fear of law enforcement frequently keep victims from seeking help, making human trafficking a hidden crime. You can help identify potential victims by learning the key indicators of trafficking. Some common indicators to look for include: PhysicalDoes the person... Show signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture? Appear to be deprived of food, water, sleep, medical care, or other necessities? Lack personal possessions? SocialDoes the person... Work excessively long and/or unusual hours? Show sudden or dramatic changes in behavior? Act fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid? Defer to another person to speak for him or her? Appear to be coached on what to say? Appear disconnected from family, friends, community organizations, or place of worship? Not have the ability to leave where they live freely? For more information about this heinous crime and how to help identify victims, check out our Human Trafficking 101 one-pager or the “What is Human Trafficking?" infographic. You can help raise awareness by sharing these resources online or displaying them in your office or community. View more Blue Campaign resources here. Thank you for joining us in the fight against human trafficking. BLI Corner The Blue Lightning Initiative (BLI), led by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Department of Transportation (DOT), is an element of Blue Campaign. BLI trains airline personnel to identify potential traffickers and human trafficking victims, and to report their suspicions to federal law enforcement. The “BLI Corner” section of our newsletter will contain updates and stories related to the aviation industry and human trafficking. BLI Hosts Stakeholder SummitBLI stakeholders recently met for a one-day summit to discuss the importance of human trafficking awareness and response training in the aviation industry. The summit attracted stakeholders from across the United States including air carriers, port authorities, industry associations, and law enforcement agencies. Speakers at the summit included representatives from Blue Campaign, DOT, CBP, DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Delta Air Lines, JetBlue, Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), Anchorage International Airport, Federal Aviation Administration, and a human trafficking survivor and advocate. To learn more about BLI and how you can play a role in combatting human trafficking, click here. Caption: Panelists answer questions regarding the role of their organizations in combating human trafficking at the BLI Stakeholder Summit (CBP Official Photo/Glenn Fawcett). News You Can Use Human-Trafficking Rings Stopped by Federal Authorities Increased by 20 Percent in Two Years (NBC Washington) A review of U.S. Justice Department data on trafficking cases initiated between 2015 and 2017 revealed a nearly 20 percent increase in the number of people charged with human trafficking by federal prosecutors during that period. Albert Pujols' Campaign Against Human Trafficking Inspires $500,000 Commitment From Major League Baseball and Players’ Association (Los Angeles Times) Major League Baseball player Albert Pujols and his wife launched a campaign against human trafficking two years ago. Major League Baseball and its players’ association recently joined the fight, announcing a $500,000 donation to charities focused on combating the crime. Health Professionals Learn How to Notice and Treat Victims of Human Trafficking(KRTV) The America Unchained Project, in collaboration with the Montana Department of Justice, recently trained health care workers in Helena on how to notice and treat human trafficking victims. Nearly 88 percent of human trafficking victims will see a medical provider when they are in captivity, making it essential for health care workers to know the physical and verbal indicators of a trafficking victim, America Unchained Project founder Charity Perenzini told the group. Project PA | 60 Percent of Sex, Human Trafficking Victims Once Involved in Foster Care System (CBS 21) Several nationwide studies show as many as 60 percent of sex and human trafficking victims in the United States were once in foster care. CBS21 News takes a look at the numbers and how they relate to victims in Pennsylvania for Project PA: Children in Crisis. Social Media Shareables Blue Campaign can now be tagged on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using @DHSBlueCampaign. Each month we will share content you can distribute on your own social channels to raise awareness of human trafficking in your communities. Who are the victims of #humantrafficking? Who is at risk? Learn these answers and more from @DHSBlueCampaign: http://bit.ly/2GEcbAj Check out this infographic from @DHSBlueCampaign to learn more about the different types of #humantrafficking: http://bit.ly/2U48qam Learn the indicators of #humantrafficking and the differences between trafficking and smuggling with this pocket-sized card from @DHSBlueCampaign: http://bit.ly/2NlSZrD ICYMI: @DHSBlueCampaign @Polaris_Project @ICEgov discussed what happens when you report a #humantrafficking tip. Watch here: http://bit.ly/2BQ4dQH For more information visit the Blue CampaignTo report suspected human trafficking: 1-866-347-2423To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)

DHS Blue Campaign Announces Partnership with United Airlines

On December 7, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new industry partnership between the DHS Blue Campaign – the unified voice for DHS’s efforts to combat human trafficking – and United Airlines.

“The Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign is excited about its partnership with United Airlines. United has a robust human trafficking awareness training program and will be a leader in the airline industry’s efforts to combat human trafficking. Together, the Blue Campaign and United Airlines will share their resources and begin an endeavor to identify and alleviate the terrible toll of human trafficking,” said Trent Frazier, Executive Director of DHS Campaigns.

Through this partnership, the Blue Campaign will co-brand its awareness materials with United Airlines. These materials will further support United Airlines employee training, which empowers them to recognize indicators of human trafficking and report suspected cases. The Blue Campaign will also facilitate other types of outreach to educate United Airlines’ employees, including its crew members, about human trafficking. 

“At United, safety is our top priority,” said Steve Morrissey, United’s vice president, regulatory and policy. “Partnering with the Department of Homeland Security and combining our collective resources further underscores our commitment to safety and strengthens our determination to recognize and report instances of human trafficking.”

The Blue Campaign leverages its partnerships with state and local governments, the private sector, and others, to protect the basic right of freedom and to bring those who exploit human lives to justice. As with other public-facing industries, the Blue Campaign looks forward to collaborating with United Airlines to combat human trafficking.

For more information about the Blue Campaign, click here.

To report suspected human trafficking:

1-866-347-2423

To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline:

1-888-373-7888

or text HELP or INFO to

BeFree (233733)

BLUE CAMPAIGN BULLETIN September 2018

September 2018 Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. In this issue:  Power of Partners What’s New with Blue? News You Can Use Social Media Shareables

Power of Partners As students head back to school, many organizations and educational institutions are making human trafficking awareness part of staff training, educational programs, and online resources. Educators are in a unique position to spot potential indicators of human trafficking. Additionally, students can help by educating their peers about the crime and what it looks like. Blue Campaign has worked with several higher-learning institutions, including Columbia University, University of North Carolina, and Middle Tennessee State University, to include our human trafficking resources on their websites and as part of campus events. We have also developed a toolkit that students can use to raise awareness about human trafficking on campuses. The student advocate toolkit includes explanations of the different types of trafficking, indicators of the crime, and awareness posters to display in common areas. For more information on Blue Campaign and ways you can work with us, visit our website https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign. What’s New with Blue? Upcoming Event: Facebook Live on September 20th Tune in to our Facebook page on Thursday, September 20 at 1 p.m. EDT for a live panel discussion about human trafficking and Native communities. Panelists from the Tribal Gaming Protection Network, National Indian Gaming Commission, and the National Center for Victims of Crime will discuss why it is important to reach Native communities with information about the crime and what their organizations are doing to combat it. Let us know you plan to join us by checking “going” on the Facebook Live event page: http://bit.ly/2wIzFNa. In Case You Missed It: Twitter Chats We recently hosted two #AskBlue Twitter chats. One focused on labor trafficking and included Polaris, U.S. Department of Labor, and Ayuda. The other looked at human trafficking on college campuses and included the McCain Institute for International Leadership, All Walks Project at Arizona State University, Berkeley Anti-Trafficking Coalition at UC Berkeley, UNICEF at UVA, and the Institute for Sport and Social Justice. If you were not able to participate – check out the conversations and follow @DHSBlueCampaign on Twitter so you don’t miss the next one! View the full labor trafficking Twitter chat here and the human trafficking on college campuses chat here. New Transportation Industry Toolkit Now Available Blue Campaign has a new toolkit for the transportation industry. It includes specific human trafficking indicators likely to be observed by aviation, rail, trucking, and maritime sector employees. Transportation organizations and companies can use the toolkit to educate staff to better recognize and report human trafficking. It can be downloaded here. News You Can Use 'WI, We Need to Talk' Campaign Raises Awareness of Youth Sex Trafficking (WGBA)The Wisconsin Department of Children and Families launched a new statewide campaign to raise awareness of human trafficking. Hogan Announces Funds, Efforts to Address Human Trafficking (Washington Post)Maryland Governor Larry Hogan signed an executive order to crack down on human trafficking in the state. The order created a statewide anti-human trafficking director and the governor announced the allocation of $5 million to provide trafficking victims with support services. Delaware Hospitals' Newest Diagnosis: Human Trafficking (Delaware Online)Delaware hospitals are working together to create universal screening questions to help doctors and nurses better identify victims of human trafficking. City Wants Hotels and Motels to Increase Reporting About Human Trafficking in Houston(Houston Public Media) The City of Houston is working with local hotels and motels to increase reporting of human trafficking. Social Media Shareables Each month we will share Twitter and Facebook content you can distribute on your own channels to raise awareness of human trafficking in your communities. Remember to tag us on Facebook using @BlueCampaign and on Twitter with @DHSBlueCampaign. Twitter: ICYMI: @DHSBlueCampaign recently hosted an #AskBlue Twitter chat on labor trafficking. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/2Q9OHEE Did you follow @DHSBlueCampaign’s Twitter chat about #humantrafficking on college campuses? See the full conversation here: http://bit.ly/2Q7aHA6 Tune in for @DHSBlueCampaign’s Facebook Live on September 20 at 1 p.m. EDT to learn more about combatting #humantrafficking in Native communities:http://bit.ly/2wIzFNa @DHSBlueCampaign is hosting a Facebook Live on September 20 at 1 p.m. EDT. Check “going” to mark your calendar: http://bit.ly/2wIzFNa @DHSBlueCampaign's #transportation toolkit is now available. Check out all the #humantrafficking awareness resources here: http://bit.ly/2MSzBpa Do you work in the #transportation industry? @DHSBlueCampaign has a new #humantrafficking awareness toolkit for you. View it here: http://bit.ly/2QavSRW Facebook: @BlueCampaign hosted an #AskBlue Twitter chat about labor trafficking. Check out the Twitter moment here: http://bit.ly/2Q9OHEE Did you follow @BlueCampaign’s Twitter chat about human trafficking on college campuses? Head to Blue Campaign’s Twitter moment to see the full conversation:http://bit.ly/2Q7aHA6 @BlueCampaign is hosting a Facebook Live on Sept. 20 at 1 p.m. EDT about human trafficking and Native communities. RSVP on the event page: http://bit.ly/2wIzFNa Why is it important to reach Native communities with information about human trafficking? Learn more by tuning in to @BlueCampaign’s Facebook Live on Sept. 20 at 1 p.m. EDT.: http://bit.ly/2wIzFNa We use @BlueCampaign resources to raise awareness of human trafficking in our community. They are free and available to anyone. View, download, or order them here: http://bit.ly/2wPaQQG The transportation industry plays a role in combating human trafficking. Learn how with @BlueCampaign’s new toolkit: http://bit.ly/2PGYFfW For more information visit the Blue CampaignTo report suspected human trafficking: 1-866-347-2423To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)

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