ALCOAST 002/20 - JAN 2020 NATIONAL SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH

R 070830 JAN 20
FM COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//CG-5R//
TO ALCOAST
UNCLAS //N16247//
ALCOAST 002/20
COMDTNOTE 16247
SUBJ:  NATIONAL SLAVERY AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION MONTH
1. By Presidential Proclamation, January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking
Prevention Month. The observance serves to educate communities, industry, and
individuals about the urgent need to combat all forms of human trafficking.
2. The International Labour Organization estimates that there are currently over
25 million victims of human trafficking worldwide. This heinous crime is often
hidden and is known to occur in every setting from affluent to developing communities.
It violates its victims' most basic human right of freedom and undermines the rule of
law around the world.
3. The Coast Guard, primarily through our migrant interdiction mission, is a front-line
organization in identifying and preventing human trafficking in the maritime domain.
In 2019, the Coast Guard trained over 13,000 members in identifying and reporting
indicators of human trafficking. This training educated Coast Guard personnel on how to
identify the subtle indicators of human trafficking and how to report these indicators
through their chain of command.
4. In the spirit of continued vigilance, for this year’s campaign we encourage all
members of Team Coast Guard to participate in Wear Blue Day by wearing blue on January
11, 2020. This campaign is intended to help foster greater awareness of human trafficking.
5. Coast Guard members are encouraged to work with their servicing Public Affairs office
on January 11, to share photos of their coworkers wearing blue in support of the Wear
Blue Day initiative accompanied by the hashtag #WearBlueDay. More information can be
found on the Blue Campaign website: https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/wearblueday.
6. For additional information and material on human trafficking awareness training,
contact LT Nicholas Spence at Nicholas.R.Spence@uscg.mil, (202)372-2175 or visit:
https://cg.portal.uscg.mil/units/cgmle/cgmle3/SitePages/Human%20Trafficking.aspx.
7. RDML Douglas M. Fears, Assistant Commandant for Response Policy, sends.
8. Internet release is authorized.