Uncategorized

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Polaris Project, a leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking and modern slavery, released a statement today following the annual meeting of President Obama’s Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons at the White House.

Bradley Myles, CEO of Polaris Project, said:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Polaris Project released the first year of texting data today, one year after launching a texting short code that enables people to reach the national human trafficking hotline by sending text messages to BeFree (233733).  An analysis of this initial data shows that texting is a vital way for victims of human trafficking to reach out for help. Victims reached out to the hotline by text message at a higher percentage than by phone calls: 17% of texting conversations were from victims, compared to 9% of phone calls in 2013.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Polaris Project, a leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking and modern slavery, today hailed a groundbreaking report released by the Urban Institute that estimates the size and scope of the underground commercial sex economies (UCSE) in Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Miami, Kansas City, San Diego, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. in 2003 and 2007.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Polaris Project, a leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking and modern slavery, congratulated the cast, crew, and filmmakers of 12 Years a Slave on receiving three Oscars tonight at the 86^thAcademy Awards tonight, including Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Polaris Project named Steve McQueen, Director of 12 Years a Slave, as an ambassador for the non-profit in February to raise awareness that slavery still exists today. The film received nine nominations.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Polaris Project, a leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking and modern slavery, announced today that 12 Years a Slave Director Steve McQueen has been named an ambassador for the non-profit. McQueen will work alongside Polaris Project as an advocate against human trafficking, raising awareness that this is a modern-day problem that requires greater resources and action.

With the help of Clear Channel Outdoor, Polaris Project is working to raise awareness about human trafficking through a billboard campaign in Times Square, Madison Square Garden, and along the I-95 corridor in New York and New Jersey. Learn more at www.polarisproject.org/365days and read Clear Channel Outdoor's press release below:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) hotline, which has been operated by Polaris Project since December 2007, received its 100,000th phone call on Monday. The caller requested legal services. Through these phone calls -- as well as emails, online tip forms and text messages -- the hotline is identifying more victims and providing data and insights into important trends that can help stop this violence and exploitation. In total, nearly 14,500 cases of potential human trafficking have been reported to the hotline.

PHOENIX, AZ – At a press conference this morning, Cindy McCain, Polaris Project, and TRUST announced a yearlong campaign to combat human trafficking with billboards throughout the Phoenix region. Clear Channel Outdoor is donating use of their ad space across all 50 of their digital displays in the Phoenix valley to promote the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) hotline. On average, the campaign will be displayed on approximately 15 of Clear Channel Outdoor’s displays at one time.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 19, 2013) – Polaris Project, a leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking and modern slavery, released a statement today following media reports of the arrest of an Indian consular official, Devyani Khobragade, in New York last week. The case centers on the alleged labor exploitation of a domestic worker.

Keeli Sorensen, Polaris Project’s Director of National Programs, said:

NEWARK, NJ (December 17, 2013) – The New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Polaris Project, a leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking, were named as finalists in the first round of the “Partnership for Freedom,” a competition seeking innovative ideas to better care for survivors of modern slavery in the United States.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) hotline received reports of 9,298 unique cases of human trafficking across the United States in its first five years of operation, Polaris Project announced in a new report today. The report, Human Trafficking Trends in the United States, includes one of the most extensive sources of human trafficking data in the country. From December 7, 2007 to December 31, 2012, cases of human trafficking were reported in all 50 states and D.C.

LAS VEGAS, NV – Polaris Project joined today with Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), and Clear Channel Outdoor to announce a new initiative aimed at educating human trafficking victims in Southern Nevada about where they can obtain help.