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Thank You for Wearing Blue and #TacklingTrafficking
Another National Human Trafficking Prevention Month has concluded, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Center for Countering Human Trafficking’s (CCHT) Blue Campaign is grateful for those who helped raise awareness of the crime. Across the United States, communities came together in a show of support for victims and survivors by wearing blue on Thursday, January 11, also known as #WearBlueDay. The Campaign would also like to thank those who made a commitment to #TacklingTrafficking by engaging with Blue Campaign’s anti-human trafficking resources.
The fight to #EndTrafficking is a collective effort that doesn’t end in January. Blue Campaign and its partners work every day to combat the crime by helping victims, empowering survivors, and bringing perpetrators to justice. Follow us (@DHSBlueCampaign on X, Facebook, and Instagram) for Campaign updates and free awareness tools you can use throughout the year.
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Blue Campaign Hosts Human Trafficking Awareness Webinars
Each year, Blue Campaign hosts public webinars for both English and Spanish speaking communities during Human Trafficking Prevention Month. This year’s Human Trafficking 101 webinars, which were held on January 10 and 16, were attended by over 1,800 individuals. Participants received an overview of CCHT and Blue Campaign, basic human trafficking awareness training, and information on indicators, myths, and reporting. Additionally, Blue Campaign shared its portfolio of available resources and showed attendees a video featuring interviews with individuals who have experienced forced labor. Both events were highly attended, with the English webinar registering as the highest-attended Blue Campaign event recorded, and the Spanish webinar nearly doubling attendance from the previous year.
CCHT Joins FEMA Podcast to Discuss Human Trafficking Prevention
CCHT Section Chief Brandi Bynum was recently featured on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) podcast for emergency managers, “Before, During & After,” to talk human trafficking prevention. Airing during Human Trafficking Prevention Month, “Episode 126: Tips on How to Identify and Prevent Human Trafficking” focused on the importance of building and activating connections to combat the crime. Leaders within DHS and FEMA discussed DHS, CCHT, and the collective federal anti-human trafficking effort; what human trafficking is and isn’t; the unique role emergency managers play in preventing the crime; and Blue Campaign awareness resources. Listen to the full episode to learn how public safety and emergency management communities can build human trafficking prevention initiatives that work.
The Intersection of Love and Human Trafficking
There is a prevalent misconception that human trafficking always starts with a violent act, such as kidnapping. The truth is that expressions of love and affection are the most common tactic traffickers use to gain trust and manipulate victims. Perpetrators of the crime use “love bombing,” promises of intimacy and marriage, or emotional support and loyalty, and similar methods to target and attract the vulnerable. The following resources can help distinguish between genuine affection and tactics of exploitation:
CCHT Hosts Third Annual DHS-wide Virtual Seminar as Part of Human Trafficking Prevention Month
On January 17 and 18, CCHT hosted the 3rd Annual DHS-wide Virtual Human Trafficking Seminar in conjunction with Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The seminar served as a forum for DHS employees to learn how DHS’s counter-human trafficking efforts are guided by the five strategic goals of prevention, protection, prosecution, partnership, and enabling DHS. Presentations and panel discussions also focused on how all DHS components use a victim-centered and survivor-informed approach in their efforts to counter human trafficking.
“The annual DHS-wide Human Trafficking Seminar is a dynamic and informative event that does more than simply highlight the Department’s anti-trafficking efforts,” said CCHT Director Cardell T. Morant. “This seminar raises awareness by providing critical, specific knowledge and tools, as well as insight from lived experience experts that enable DHS personnel to combat human trafficking, support victims, and educate the public.”
The two-day event was attended by over 700 DHS special agents, officers, program managers, analysts, victim assistance specialists, forensic interviewers, and others in DHS offices around the country with roles in countering human trafficking or an interest in the counter-trafficking mission.
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CCHT Hosts Anti-Trafficking Symposium During Human Trafficking Prevention Month
On January 25 and 26, DHS employees and esteemed anti-trafficking leaders convened for the CCHT Anti-Trafficking Symposium: Educate, Empower, Equip, & Engage. Hosted by CCHT in observance of Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the event brought together hundreds of attendees from around the world to discuss human trafficking and its impacts, recognize the signs of human trafficking, and learn about DHS’s counter-trafficking programs and resources.
Attendees heard from experts on the forefront of trafficking prevention, including the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), U.S. Department of Justice, Freedom Network USA, Office for Victims of Crime, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and others across more than 16 breakout sessions.
The two-day seminar united federal, state, local, tribal, and community organizations; law enforcement experts; business professionals; and lived experience consultants to share research findings, best practices, and resources for combating the crime.
HSI San Diego, Task Force Investigation Results in Nine-year Sentence for California Man who Sex Trafficked a Child
An investigation conducted by agents from HSI San Diego and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force resulted in the September sentencing of a Pasadena man to nine years in prison for sex trafficking crimes involving a 14-year-old female.
Daylan Lamont Camp pleaded guilty on November 29, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of children.
HSI received a tip from NCMEC in November 2020 related to a 14-year-old female with an active online commercial sex advertisement located in San Diego. NCMEC conveyed that Los Angeles County officials had reported the minor as a runaway and that, between August and November 2020, it had identified multiple commercial sex advertisements on websites displaying her image throughout Southern California.
The same day, HSI and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force located an advertisement offering commercial sex with the minor female in San Diego. They conducted an undercover operation that ultimately led to the recovery of the minor and an adult woman who was also engaging in commercial sex at the hotel. Authorities discovered numerous conversations about commercial sex work between the woman and the defendant on her cell phone.
In his plea, Camp admitted that he and the adult woman agreed to recruit and maintain the minor, who they knew was under 18 years of age, for commercial sex acts. To achieve their goal, Camp and the adult woman obtained hotel rooms for the minor female and arranged for her to travel to San Diego. The defendant then posted commercial sex advertisements, after which the minor was made to engage in commercial sex acts and give the proceeds to the defendant.
This case was the result of the ongoing efforts of the Violent Crime and Human Trafficking (VCHT) Section. Formed in 2019, the VCHT is tasked with leading collaborations between federal and local law enforcement in the investigation and prosecution of cases involving violent crimes, firearms, and gang cases; sex trafficking and child exploitation; civil rights; and labor trafficking.
More information can be found in the press release announcing the sentencing.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Announces Partnership with BLI
On Thursday, January 11, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority officially launched its partnership with DHS’s Blue Lightning Initiative (BLI) at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The launch, which was attended by more than 100 employees from the Airports Authority, American Airlines, and other airport tenants, featured a training session and panel discussion for aviation workers. In addition to recurrent sessions that will keep employees vigilant, training will expand to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). As part of the partnership, all Airports Authority employees will receive a BLI quick-reference card with relevant resources, and both DCA and IAD will institute public information campaigns to raise awareness of human trafficking in aviation settings.
To learn more about BLI, visit go.dhs.gov/Z3L.
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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