Human Trafficking Awareness

Human Trafficking Awareness History

Human Trafficking Awareness Day is dedicated to raising awareness of sexual slavery and human trafficking worldwide. Today, there are between 21-30 million people enslaved in the world, more than at any time in human history. Every day, modern slavery can be recognized: children become soldiers, young women are forced into prostitution and migrant workers exploited in the workforce. Human Trafficking Awareness Day seeks to end this slavery, return rights to individuals and make the world a safer place for all inhabitants.

Human Trafficking Awareness Day started in 2007, when the U.S. Senate designated January 11th as National Human Trafficking Awareness Day in the hopes of raising awareness to combat human trafficking. It began as a U.S. initiative, and the United Nations has started to highlight this topic and work towards global awareness with days such as International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.

Facts about Human Trafficking

• The most common form of human trafficking is sex trafficking for sexual exploitation, which accounts for 79% of human trafficking victims. These victims of sex trafficking are predominantly women and girls.
• According to the US Gov. in 2024, there were more than 27 million victims of human trafficking, which is an increase from 24.9 million victims of human trafficking in 2022.
• The average age of a girl being forced into the US domestic sex slavery market is 13.
• The average cost of a slave around the world is $90.
• It is slavery in the modern age. Every year thousands of people, mainly women and children, are exploited by criminals who use them for forced labor or the sex trade. No country is immune. Almost all play a part, either as a source of trafficked people, transit point or destination. - United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon

In the News and Trending for Human Trafficking Awareness

Top things to do for Human Trafficking Awareness

• Talk to children about strangers and make sure they memorize important addresses and phone numbers.
• Save 888-373-7888 to your phone. This is number to the National Human Trafficking Resources Hotline.
• Make a donation to an organization fighting human trafficking, such as Polaris.
• Learn the signs and indicators of human trafficking so that you can learn to recognize it and report it. US Homeland Security offers a training online free of charge.
• Watch a movie about human trafficking. Our picks: Taken (2008), Trade (2007), Human Trafficking (2005), The Pink Room(2011), Nefarious (2011) and Lilya 4-ever (2002).