When the war started in Ukraine, Uliana* fled in fear of her life.

She was a survivor of human trafficking who traveled by train for over a week, spending nights in train stations until she arrived at a refugee camp near the border.

Her journey continued throughout Europe, where she met many refugees in a similar situation. Each person was facing new challenges, and Uliana could feel the heaviness that surrounded her. She courageously moved forward to solve one problem at a time until she found safety.

With the help of volunteers, Uliana received official documents for a temporary residence in a European country and a job to afford her basic needs. Our Aftercare Team is proud of Uliana and her resilience in moving forward amidst ongoing challenges.

In the acknowledgement of World Refugee Day, and after watching the crisis in Ukraine unfold over the last few months, our hearts break for the millions of people who have been displaced. Refugees are some of the most vulnerable to human trafficking, and the situation in Ukraine has only increased the risk of exploitation worldwide.

Traffickers strike in moments of crisis, and that’s why our team in Ukraine (many of which are also refugees) is working relentlessly to get awareness and prevention materials into the hands of vulnerable people.

The need is immense, and there’s something all of us can do to help.

Check out what our team is doing to reach refugees and support Ukrainian survivors of human trafficking both in and out of the country by watching this update from Country Manager Julia S.

Your support is helping survivors like Uliana receive ongoing aftercare support and reach refugees with potentially life-saving information.

Give now before it’s too late, and your donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

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Our educational resources are designed to keep you and your family safe.
Check them out here →

 
Online childhood exploitation is a subset of childhood exploitation that has always existed in the physical world. The advent of the internet 25 years ago opened a doorway for offenders to interact with one another and children in ways they could not before—increasing accessibility and, therefore, exploitation.

If a minor is online, they become more vulnerable to individuals who can exploit them. The following story is based on actual events.

Our goal is to prevent this type of recruitment and exploitation from happening in the first place, so we’ve created several free resources that cover topics like online safety and how to look for red flags of digital recruitment.

Maria was trafficked for years, but she bravely escaped when she saw an open door. On the run, she collided with a woman who had become aware of human trafficking through one of our posters.
The woman called our human trafficking hotline, and a call specialist connected her with the police. Because of Maria’s testimony, the police conducted a raid and rescued many others. Her bravery had a ripple effect, and you too can create a ripple effect of freedom today.

In our Aftercare program, Maria overcame the trauma and found a fresh hope for the future. She experienced healing and restoration. She received medical support, took language lessons, engaged in our group programs, and developed the skills to help her thrive in a new community.

Eventually, she moved into her own apartment and now lives in complete independence. It’s a surreal feeling. A foreign feeling. But the best feeling.

Today, she’s working full-time. She knows her worth. She’s full of hope. She’s living the life she’s always wanted and pursuing the dreams she’s always had.

Right now, Maria is testifying in court against her traffickers. This chapter in her life ends not just in freedom but also in justice.

We long for more stories like Maria's. We long for the day where slavery no longer exists. Thank you for investing in freedom for those who are still being exploited.

It's A Penalty
January 2022: Superbowl LVI  

Large events, such as the Super Bowl, can lead to an increase in human trafficking because of the high influx of visitors—but we're working to change that. 

It's A Penalty (IAP) is a global campaign that harnesses the power of sport to prevent abuse, exploitation, and trafficking globally. We are proud to be one of the founding partners to this campaign and are excited to announce that the new PSA video, shown here, will be played throughout Southwest and American flights.

Several athletes including Chris Godwin, Johnny Hekker, Aaron Rodgers, Andy Dalton, Nick Foles, and many others are using their voices to speak up and help prevent the exploitation of children.

Last year during the Super Bowl, 16 missing children from the Missing Kids list were identified in the region! It was a team effort to safeguard these individuals.

This is the power of prevention and awareness. Because of your generosity, we can make more people aware of human trafficking and how to stop it.

Sports fan or not, we all agree that every man, woman, and child deserves to be free.

Watch the It’s A Penalty video now and don’t forget to play it at your Super Bowl Party on February 13!
  

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Can You See Me? Child Sex Tourism Scenario Launches

January 2022: Brand New Can You See Me? Scenario

As child sex tourism is a type of child sex trafficking, indicators specifically to sex trafficking apply such as:

• Victim appears to be a minor
• Signs of abuse and malnourishment (denied food, water, sleep, and/or medical care)
• Shows signs of fear or apprehension
• Body language and facial expression show unhappiness
• Appears submissive
• Appears uncomfortable
• Has few personal possessions
• Does not have access to money
• May be subjected to insults, abuse, threats, or violence

Additional indicators specific to child sex tourism may be noticed:

• The offender shows physical affection towards the minor in an unreciprocated manner
• The minor is accompanying the offender to a hotel/motel
• The offender subtly treats the minor like property/possession
• The offender is taking the initiative over the minor in every transaction
• The offender appears significantly older than the minor
• The minor can be as young as 5, 6, or 7 years old
• The minor can be a boy or a girl; the offender is often a male
• The minor appears to be local to the region whereas the offender is often of a different nationality
• The minor may be poorly dressed in contrast to the offender whose clothing and possessions appear to be of a higher quality.
  

 
Learn More About Can You See Me? →

2021 Was A Record-Breaking Year

2022: Thank you

Because of passionate people like you, 2021 was our most impactful year ever. We continued to break previous records and we are so thankful for your support.

See the impact we made together in 2021:

3,983,504 (yes, million!) people reached with awareness and prevention.

28 perpetrators convicted or found guilty.

3,447 frontline professionals trained to combat human trafficking.

209 new survivors entered A21’s aftercare programs.

587 victims identified and processed for referral.

Every number represents a life that was positively affected by you. Whether it was someone learning about human trafficking for the first time or a survivor who entered our care, it was only possible because of your commitment to freedom.

We look forward to continuing to make a difference together, in 2022!