Officials, advocates spread awareness of human trafficking in Houston and its airports

Key figures and experts from across the Houston metropolitan area addressed human trafficking prevention and protection Nov. 4 at the Lone Star Flight Museum.

The event brought a variety of organizations together that provide resources to prevent the crime and provide support for its survivors. Some of the organizations include Unbound Now, Bay Area Turning Point, The Landing, Common Thread, United Against Human Trafficking and more.

Saba Abashawl, chief external affairs officer for the Houston Airport System, called human trafficking “modern day slavery,” and emphasized the importance of partnering with several advocacy groups and government bodies to stop the crime from “happening in our own backyard.”

“Every single day, women, men, children—both boys and girls—are targeted and groomed by traffickers who want to profit off the forced work done by victims—victims who are often trafficked, unfortunately, through airports,” she said.

Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said the Houston Airport System and 10 other major city departments, including the Houston Health Department and Procurement Office, collaborate in addressing the transnational crime.

“There are over 55 million people who pass through our airport system annually. That makes our airports a critical part in raising awareness through the many communication touchpoints available,” Turner said.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzales said this year, the county's human trafficking unit has conducted 51 operations, closed 186 cases and made over 144 arrests.

“We recognize that those who are selling their bodies for sex are almost always victims, not criminals,” he said. “Our goal is to rescue and support them.”

Karinda Washington, the executive director for social impact and campaigns in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, discussed the Blue Campaign, a national public awareness campaign aimed at educating the public and law enforcement on how to recognize indicators of human trafficking. Washington said while support for the campaign is strong, millions of men, women and children are trafficked around the world, generating billions of dollars of profit per year.

“Traffickers often use public modes of transportation, such as commercial and private air travel, as a means of moving their victims,” Washington said. “In most cases, victims do not self-identify, and the coercive tactics used by traffickers makes victim identification even more difficult.”

The Blue Lightning Initiative, a part of the Blue Campaign, was created in 2012 as a joint DHS and U.S. Department of Transportation initiative to provide training for airline personnel to recognize indicators of the crime. Washington said the Houston Airport System joined the BLI as its first airport partner in 2019, paving the way for 45 other airports to partner with the initiative.

“Blue Campaign calls upon all members of the community, all of you, all of us to join in the fight against human trafficking,” Washington said. “Our campaign has created tailored content for specific audiences, such as law enforcement, adults, youth, faith and community-based organizations … convenience stores, retail workers, hospitality, and more.”

Additional information about the Blue Campaign can be viewed at www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign. The Department of Public Safety launched an app called Texas DPS Lifestyle that acts as a resource for signs of the crime. The human trafficking hotline is 888-373-7888.

“Innocent people are being abused and exploited every day. We all have a responsibility to do everything we can to ensure that they do not suffer alone and have a platform to advocate alongside all of us,” Turner said.