Coronavirus

Victims and survivors of human trafficking need safe shelter options more than ever before. Enter Polaris's corporate hospitality partners and generous individuals from across the country.

Two recent reports based on data from the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline highlight how the pandemic exacerbated systemic issues while trafficking adapted to the changing contexts.

An examination of the number of daily situations of sex trafficking reported to the Trafficking Hotline indicates a possible shift in where likely sex trafficking involving online sexual exploitation was happening during the pandemic. This in turn highlights how traffickers quickly adapt to changing contexts and the challenges and opportunities this poses to those trying to reduce and prevent sex trafficking.

There was a more than 70% increase in reported likely labor trafficking victims who held H-2A visas that authorizes the work of migrant agricultural workers in the United States. In addition to other abuses, one-third of these individuals complained about being denied medical attention, while they were deemed essential by the United States Government.

The pandemic is greatly impacting Latinos and Black people in the United States as the result of systemic inequities in our society. Those inequities are the same ones that create the vulnerabilities that traffickers often take advantage of.

During COVID-19, temporary changes in regulations to work visas, like H-2A and H-2B, benefit employers but put workers at greater risk of human trafficking and exploitation. Lack of oversight and lack of clear access to crucial information for workers increases the imbalance of power, favoring employers.

Los cambios en los protocolos de visas temporales de trabajo debido al COVID-19 crean más desbalances de poder y ponen a los trabajadores en riesgo de trata laboral.

Polaris tracked the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on victims and survivors of sex and labor trafficking. As part of this effort, Polaris has undertaken a systematic examination of relevant data from the Polaris-operated U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. The data brief includes the findings of this analysis and policy recommendations.

This data brief includes analysis of relevant data from the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline to examine the potential impact of COVID-19 pandemic on victims and survivors of sex and labor trafficking.

Since March, the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline has been operated from the makeshift offices of Trafficking Hotline staff. Here, they share some of their experiences and the challenges they face during this unprecedented time.

With stay-at-home orders resulting in more children spending time online and at home, there has been an increase in reports of child abuse, which may also make children more vulnerable to trafficking.

In the case of a landlord soliciting sex in exchange for rent, the implied threat is clear: provide sex or you and your family will be homeless. This is sex trafficking.