Does human trafficking increase around the time of the Super Bowl?
It’s in the news but is it really happening? 33rd Street Bail Bonds explores the issue of human or sex trafficking and its impact. What exactly is sex trafficking? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, sex trafficking is “the illegal business of recruiting, harboring, transporting, obtaining, or providing a person and especially a minor for the purpose of sex.”
The Super Bowl has been perpetuated as being the biggest event for human trafficking. While there might be an increase in human trafficking during this time period, it is important to know that sex trafficking takes place all year long.
Major sporting events and conventions bring many people to one area. This causes an increase in human trafficking. Law enforcement, anti-trafficking groups, and public service announcements are all helping to combat the problem during the Super Bowl festivities. Law enforcement including the FBI set up stings to help catch human traffickers and those soliciting sex. There are many anti-trafficking groups that help focus the public on the dangers of sex trafficking. These tactics include posters listing warning signs, training of hotel employees, and a group called S.O.A.P., save our adolescents from prostitution, which passes out bars of soap with the national human trafficking hotline number on them. Public service announcements include ads that will be on buses, social media, billboards, and areas of mass transit.
The Super Bowl for this year will be played in Miami, Florida on February 2, 2020. Already, both federal and local law enforcement officials are raising awareness of human trafficking. Kathy Andersen, executive director of The Women’s Fund Miami-Dade, said, “sex trafficking is a chronic problem that the Super Bowl brings to greater attention. The Super Bowl does one thing for us – it gives us a platform to make noise. This is just the start of it.”
How can you help spot sex trafficking? A few warning signs of human trafficking include:
•Avoiding eye contact and social interactions
•Avoiding authority figures such as law enforcement personnel
•Has no official documents
•When in a social situation, the person seems to stick to a scripted or rehearsed response
•Person has no idea where they are traveling to or from and no documents
•A person seems to have restricted freedom. They aren’t allowed to speak for themselves, go out in public by themselves, has little to no money
•Has few personal possessions
•Appears malnourished
•Inappropriately dressed for the weather or dressed too provocatively for their age
•Person seems depressed and disconnected
If you suspect sex trafficking then you can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline for help. The number is 1- 888-373-7888. It is confidential. You can also text “help” to BeFree (233733).
33rd Street Bail Bonds wants consumers to know about sex trafficking and its implications.
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