Human Trafficking Alert – Super Bowl 2023 – AFA United

Date: February 10, 2023

This Sunday, February 12, 2023, Super Bowl LVII will kick off in Glendale, Arizona.  Super Bowl LVII is the upcoming American football championship game of the National Football League for the 2022 season. It will be played between the American Football Conference champion Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football Conference champion Philadelphia Eagles.  It is anticipated that over 100,00 people will flood to the city of Phoenix and nearby communities to participate in this American football tradition.

In the days leading up to Super Bowl Sunday and in the days following, we should all be on an especially heightened alert to spot potential human trafficking. As Flight Attendants, we are uniquely positioned to identify human traffickers and assist their victims. Flight crews are skilled observers, and with the appropriate training, we can be the front line against the horrific crime of human trafficking.

It is estimated that at least 12 million adults and children are enslaved around the world and that over half percent are women and girls. Mega events like the Super Bowl are a magnet for human traffickers.

While we should all be aware of the potential for human trafficking every day, as Flight Attendants working any trip to or from PHX in the coming days, we can make a difference through our heightened vigilance.

In preparation, review the indicators of human trafficking listed below and know how and where to report suspicious behavior:

•         Physical control of travel documents of an adult traveler by a co-traveler
•         Restricting the movement and social interaction of an adult traveler by a co-traveler
•         An adult traveler who is unclear on details of his/her final destination or point of contact
•         A child traveler who appears to be accompanied by someone claiming to be the parent or guardian who is in fact not related to the child

There are several ways to obtain the knowledge you need to be proactive in our fight against human trafficking:

To Report Human Trafficking* – If you suspect a case of human trafficking: Follow United's reporting policy and procedure, as outlined in your Link, including using cockpit communications or other methods as part of the Blue Lightening Initiative

•         Go to: www.dhs.gov/humantrafficking
•         Call toll-free (866) 347-2423 from anywhere in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada
•         Call (802) 872-6199 (not toll-free) from any country in the world.  Report the tip online at www.ice.gov/tips.