Hope is on the horizon (not to mention parades and other in-person celebrations!) But this Pride Month will still see too many LGBTQ+ people vulnerable to human trafficking. Young people whose communities have turned their back on them because of their sexual or gender identities are at particular risk because traffickers prey on their very real economic needs and on their need for a sense of community and belonging. We share these materials in hopes that you will help us reach people who might be experiencing trafficking or exploitation. Help is available!
The 2SLGBTQIA+ Community Needs More Support Systems and Inclusive Policies to Reduce Vulnerabilities to Trafficking
Mercy Gray, anti-trafficking advocate and lived experience expert, shares her experience as a survivor of human trafficking.
Learn from Survivors
Let’s get the word out that there are options available through the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. Please download and share these cards with people in your networks and ask them to pass them along to people in theirs, so everyone knows there is somewhere to turn for support.
Social Media Shareables
Key Messages
- June is Pride Month in the United States, a time to remember history, celebrate how far we’ve come in advancing the rights of LGBTQ+ people, but also to reinvigorate our efforts to continue the fight for equality and against discrimination and hatred.
- Discrimination and its manifestations are one of the key reasons that people who identify as LGBTQ+ – particularly young people – can be especially vulnerable to human trafficking.
- Runaway and homeless youth without safe shelter and social supports are at higher risk of trafficking and exploitation. Traffickers exploit their needs and vulnerabilities to compel them into sex or labor trafficking. LGBTQ+ youth may be trafficked by intimate partners, family members, friends, or strangers.
- Effective support and services are vital to reducing trafficking. If the basic needs of LGBTQ+ youth continue to go unmet, these young people face a greater risk of returning to their trafficking situations.
- There are a lot of reasons why a person will or will not reach out for help when they are in trouble. The decision to seek assistance is completely up to the individual. Some people aren’t ready to leave their situation or receive services, and that’s okay. If you are ready to be heard, the National Human Trafficking Hotline is here and ready to listen.
Hashtags
#EndHumanTrafficking, #FreedomHappensNow, #HumanTrafficking, #PolarisProject, #HumanTraffickingHotline, #PrideMonth, #LGBTQ
