Social Media/Online

In the wake of the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol, Polaris, in partnership with The Soufan Group and Limbik, has written a report that sheds light on previously unexplored links between QAnon, human trafficking, disinformation, and violent extremism.

This social media toolkit includes graphics and a video available for download to educate your friends, family, and followers on what we know about child sex trafficking. You can also visit us on Instagram to share our story highlight and tag us.

The toolkit contains social media graphics available for download to help ensure vulnerable populations have access to services and safety through the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Not all the missing children recovered in recent high profile U.S. Marshals operations were victims of human trafficking. But what we know about those operations reconfirms what we know about how sex trafficking happens in the vast majority of situations.

When most people think about child sex trafficking they think of stories involving kidnapping, windowless vans, and chains. However, focusing on these rarer examples may cause us to miss out on the realities of how trafficking typically happens.

In the past week, the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline has received numerous reports involving text messages claiming the recipient has an unclaimed package awaiting delivery.

The Wayfair theory, like other viral stories, can potentially result in overwhelming services meant for victims, as well as increasing online harassment and privacy intrusions of people mistakenly believed to be victims. These theories also detract from the knowledge we do have about how sex trafficking actually works, and how we can prevent it.

Over the past several days the National Human Trafficking Hotline has received hundreds of reports that reference viral posts claiming Wayfair has been involved in sex trafficking children.

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.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, people in trafficking situations and in prostitution are likely facing worse violence and abuse than ever. The U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline is here to help.