Human Trafficking Prevention: Call to Action for Public Transit

January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in the U.S. The month is an opportune time to explore the role that public transportation can play in combating human trafficking, a form of modern-day slavery.

Public transit agencies encounter human trafficking victims in a variety of ways. The populations most at-risk for trafficking are also those most likely to use public transportation. Traffickers may go to bus stops or transit centers to find potential victims or use public transportation to shuttle their victims to and from places where they will be sold. When survivors attempt to escape from trafficking, a bus, train, or transit center may be the first place they will go. This means that public transportation can be a key touchpoint for reaching these vulnerable populations, both for prevention and education, as well as for identification and intervention.

Join APTA, TAT (Truckers Against Trafficking), the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) and representatives from public transportation agencies across the U.S. for a webinar, Jan. 13, 2:00 p.m. Eastern, to learn how the industry intersects with human trafficking and hear lessons learned and best practices for implementing anti-trafficking initiatives.

Speakers will include:

• Jodi Godfrey, senior research associate, CUTR
• Lexi Higgins, director of industry engagement, TAT
• Cameron Paler, safety and security specialist, San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission, CA
• Chris Geraci, AVP / chief safety & security officer, Jacksonville Transportation Authority, FL
• More to be announced soon