January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and U.S. Senator, Chuck Grassley, is calling Iowans to do their part to combat the concerning increase in its frequency. According to Grassley, the last two years have been marked by uncertainty throughout the nation due to soaring inflation, school closures, unemployment spikes and more, which has led to an increasingly larger pool of vulnerable young people for traffickers to target. Federal law enforcement agencies opened hundreds of human trafficking investigation during 2021, and the U.S. Marshals Service recovered nearly 1,000 children, including 21 missing Iowa juveniles, as part of a nine-state, multi-agency investigation. Grassley says, “It takes all eyes and ears in the community to root out criminal enterprise that preys on young people and robs them of their dignity for commercial sex, forced labor and other services. Iowans who suspect human trafficking may report to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline 24/7, every day of the year in more than 200 languages.” That hotline can be reached by calling 888-373-7888 or online through www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Grassley says ongoing support is needed at the federal level, and he is working with a bipartisan coalition of senators to reauthorize the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which made human trafficking a federal crime. Grassley has also backed other bills to stop online advertisements targeting minors for commercial sex and provide grants to schools to train staff and students about the dangers of human trafficking. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has compiled a list of common indicators of human trafficking and what to do if you suspect a juvenile may be in danger. More information can be found included below.
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https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign
Click HERE for Human Trafficking/Smuggling Indicator Card