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Help Students Stay Safe This School Year with Resources from Blue Campaign
With students across the country returning to the classroom, now is the time to make sure the students in your life are aware of the warning signs of human trafficking and how to guard against them. Young people in general are particularly more vulnerable to this crime because they may be less equipped to make informed and sound decisions when presented with a situation that may lead to trafficking. Talking to students about the unique dangers of human trafficking can be the first step in preventing exploitation and potentially saving lives.
Blue Campaign has resources for both students and those who interact with students. Whether you are a young person, an adult working with youth, or a campus law enforcement professional, consider the following resources as you head back to school.
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Protect Yourself Webpage: Find tips you can share on how school-aged youth can stay safe online and protect themselves from potential exploitation.
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Youth Poster Series: Display posters around school buildings to raise awareness of what exploitative conversations can look like.
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Youth Animated Video: See an example of how traffickers groom young people into exploitative situations.
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Blue Campaign Toolkits: Designed for adults working with youth and campus law enforcement personnel, these guides contain information about the dos and don’ts of talking to youth.
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Youth Professional and Caretaker Training Lessons: In this two-part video training for adults who work with youth, you will learn about your role in recognizing and reporting human trafficking.
All Blue Campaign materials are available for free download or order. For more information, visit bit.ly/3LOjO53.
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Available Now: “Concern” Training for State and Local Law Enforcement
The Blue Campaign recently completed development for “Concern,” a new virtual training tool for state and local law enforcement. An asynchronous training simulation, “Concern” encourages law enforcement to use the victim-centered approach to combat human trafficking. This eLearning course provides practice opportunities for interviewing with a victim-centered approach to law enforcement and others who are likely to encounter victims. Upon completion, students will be able to:
- Advocate for the victim
- Develop rapport and establish trust
- Interview victims without judgment
The August classes are now live. Each class is set to 50 students and is offered free of charge. Interested students can register here. At the website, please search for BCATP to narrow the list of offerings and sign up for the iterations specified.
100,000+ Subscribers
The Blue Campaign’s monthly newsletter recently surpassed 100,000 subscribers! We would like to thank all of you who have subscribed to the newsletter and are using Blue Campaign resources to combat human trafficking in your community or workplace. The Blue Campaign strives to create and distribute resources to the public on how to recognize and report the crime of human trafficking. We appreciate your help towards pursuing the Campaign’s mission of ending human trafficking!
BLI Recognizes National Aviation Week
August 19-25 is National Aviation Week. The Blue Lightning Initiative (BLI) is recognizing the occasion by inviting organizations to learn more about how they can combat human trafficking in the aviation industry. Participating BLI partners gain access to a BLI training module and associated print materials for personnel, with the goal of educating front-line employees on how to recognize and report potential human trafficking in aviation settings. Partners include commercial airlines, regional and international airports, and aviation training institutes, among others.
In carrying out its mission, BLI has trained more than 200,000 personnel to date who continue to report actionable tips to law enforcement. This Aviation Week, learn more about the program and how to become a partner: bit.ly/34MGphH.
In late July, the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking (CCHT) participated in two events to further expand DHS’s ability to accomplish its anti-trafficking mission: the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a non-governmental organization and the hosting of its first webinar for the public on Continued Presence.
CCHT Director Cardell T. Morant signed the groundbreaking MOU with Liberty Shared, a non-governmental organization that “aims to prevent human trafficking through legal advocacy, technological interventions, and strategic collaborations.” Since CCHT’s inception, Liberty Shared has been an important partner by increasing the Center’s capacity and expanding the scope of criminal investigations into forced labor in the supply chain (FLSC) conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). In the past year, Liberty Shared has provided CCHT and HSI with documentary evidence of forced labor in overseas manufacturing facilities and arranged critical interviews with victims identified in other ongoing cases. With this MOU in place, HSI is positioned to receive critical information to advance their investigations into those who profit from the importation of goods produced with forced labor.
As part of the ongoing effort to increase awareness of Continued Presence, CCHT hosted its first webinar for the public on the benefits of Continued Presence. The virtual event was attended by nearly 800 stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations and victim service providers. The session focused on what Continued Presence is, who is eligible, and how it is part of a victim-centered approach.
This public webinar is a significant step in raising general awareness about Continued Presence and ensuring that it serves its intended purpose: to protect non-citizen trafficking victims and serve as a tool for law enforcement during their investigations.
FROM THE FIELD: HSI INVESTIGATION YIELDS 30-YEAR SENTENCE FOR SINGER R. KELLY
Even high-profile individuals can be human traffickers. A successful investigation led-by HSI resulted in the recent conviction and sentencing of Robert Sylvester Kelly (also known as “R. Kelly”) for racketeering, sexual exploitation of children, and forced labor. This was a joint investigation led by HSI New York and New York City Police Department (NYPD) Public Safety Task Force and special agents with HSI Chicago. Last month, R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
This sentencing is important for many reasons. First, it shows that the justice system worked. No one is above the law when committing these egregious crimes. This conviction and sentencing show the lengths to which the government will go to hold those with power, wealth, or fame accountable. Secondly, it underscores the fact that human traffickers do not fit one profile; they can come from all walks of life. Lastly, this investigation demonstrates that success is possible when state and local law enforcement officers partner with federal agents to bring traffickers to justice. More details can be found here at ICE.gov.
‘Operation Lost Souls’ leads to recovery of 70 missing children (WRIC)
Authorities found 70 missing children in three weeks during a multi-agency effort known as “Operation Lost Souls,” including some who were victims of sex trafficking and physical and sexual abuse. The operation, led by HSI El Paso and the Texas Department of Public Safety with the help of several other agencies, started at the end of April through mid-May in West Texas. The children range in age from 10 to 17 and most of them were located in West Texas, with authorities finding some in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Colorado, and Mexico.
Tag Blue Campaign on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram using @DHSBlueCampaign. Each month we share content you can distribute on your social channels to raise awareness of human trafficking in your community.
- Students: You can make a difference. Educate your peers and community about #HumanTrafficking with the @DHSBlueCampaign student advocate toolkit: bit.ly/3P9Q9UV #BackToSchool
- August 19 marks the start of #AviationWeek. The Blue Lightning Initiative trains aviation personnel to recognize and respond to #HumanTrafficking situations. Learn more: bit.ly/34MGphH
- As you go #BackToSchool, let @DHSBlueCampaign show you how to be safe online and protect yourself from people who may be trying to exploit you: bit.ly/3Frwc8P
- Could you spot potential #HumanTrafficking if you saw it? Learn what the crime looks like and find reporting information from @DHSBlueCampaign: bit.ly/3ynok6l
For more information visit the Blue Campaign
To report suspected human trafficking: 1-866-347-2423
To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888
or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733)
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