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I remember getting out of prison and being barred from employment because of my criminal record. Even though the system claimed to have resources to rehabilitate me, I couldn’t get the help I needed through the police, courts, probation officers, or anyone else. I felt like I was walking on eggshells, terrified that one wrong step would send me back to prison.

Human trafficking is one of the most intractable human rights challenges of our time. Despite decades of effort and courageous frontline work, the field has struggled with a persistent gap: the inability to see, with clarity and scale, how systemic factors like housing, migration, and economic policy shape vulnerability and where interventions can truly change trajectories.

Late one evening, a detective’s phone buzzes. A Polaris-trained Hotline advocate is on the line, calm and composed, with an urgent trafficking situation to report. A young woman has called the National Human Trafficking Hotline from a hotel just off the interstate. She’s scared. She’s not alone, and she’s worried about what will happen if … Continued

As the CEO of Polaris and a survivor of human trafficking, I’ve spent the last decade working alongside law enforcement to improve how we identify and respond to trafficking. But long before I stepped into this role, I sat — literally — in the back seat. ********** FORTY-FIVE. That’s how many contacts I had with … Continued

For nearly two decades, the National Human Trafficking Hotline has been more than a lifeline for survivors and a resource for community members. It has been a trusted partner to law enforcement — consistently transforming raw tips into actionable leads that drive investigations and bring traffickers to justice. At the same time, it connects survivors, … Continued

Law enforcement has always been a critical partner in the fight against human trafficking. For almost two decades, Polaris has collaborated closely with survivors, officers, investigators, and task forces at every level — responding to Hotline signals, analyzing trends, and co-creating solutions that improve outcomes for survivors and increase the likelihood of trafficker accountability. Much … Continued

After six years in executive leadership, Catherine Chen has announced her intention to step down as CEO. The Polaris Board of Directors has appointed Jen Jinks and Taskeen Hamidullah-Bahl as interim co-CEOs to lead the organization while it undertakes a search for the next leader of Polaris.   Catherine joined Polaris as a Chief Program Officer … Continued

As our country  prepares to transition to the next presidential administration, a new Congress, and new local leaders, our organizational values that have grounded our work for the last 22 years remain unchanged. The mission at Polaris is clear: End human trafficking and support survivors on their journeys of freedom. We will continue to center … Continued

The reactions to the Supreme Court’s ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson are still rippling across the country. At the end of June, the Court held that arresting a person sleeping outside for lack of housing is not a violation of the Eighth Amendment, which protects against cruel and unusual punishment by the government. Although … Continued

Actions are needed to help mitigate H-2B workers’ vulnerabilities and empower them to secure their rights and pursue safe, justly compensated work in the U.S.

Polaris announced that Catherine Chen, a longtime leader in the anti-human trafficking field and expert in international labor trafficking has joined the nonprofit as its Chief Program Officer.