888-373-7888

888-373-7888 is a telephone number that is used by the National Human Trafficking Hotline, a service provided by the Polaris Project. The National Human Trafficking Hotline is a confidential and anonymous hotline that provides support, information, and assistance to individuals who have experienced human trafficking or who are at risk of being trafficked.

The hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and it can be accessed by calling the number or by using the online chat or text message service. The National Human Trafficking Hotline is a valuable resource for individuals who are seeking help and support, and it can connect them to a range of services and organizations that can provide assistance.

Learning from the Experts: An Update on the National Survivor Study
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Learning from the Experts: An Update on the National Survivor Study

Survivors of sex and labor trafficking are the real experts in the anti-trafficking movement. That’s why Polaris’s National Survivor Study (NSS) intentionally flips the traditional dynamics of research projects done on a community and instead aims to work with survivors as true partners. Polaris is already seeing the benefits. Although the NSS is still underway,…

Human Trafficking: The Intersection of Race, Gender, and the Law: The City Club of Cleveland
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Human Trafficking: The Intersection of Race, Gender, and the Law: The City Club of Cleveland

Human trafficking, often categorized by sex and labor trafficking, is widespread in the United States. Victims of human trafficking can come from any background, however according to the U.S. Department of Justice, 94% of sex trafficking victims are female, 40% are Black, and 24% are Latinx. And in South Dakota, where Native American women are only 8% of the population, they represent 40% of sex trafficking victims. These statistics are staggering.

How to spot the red flags if you’re at risk of trafficking and exploitation:
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How to spot the red flags if you’re at risk of trafficking and exploitation:

The term “red flag” means you see something that’s a reason to stop and consider your safety. There are red flags for lots of things – depression, dating violence, suicide – and seeing one or two red flags doesn’t necessarily mean that something is happening to you, it simply lets you know that you should probably step back and take another look at the situation. 

Awareness vs. Understanding of Human Trafficking
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Awareness vs. Understanding of Human Trafficking

Twenty years ago next month, when Polaris first opened its doors, human trafficking had only officially been a crime in this country for about a year. Creating awareness was an urgent undertaking. This year, Polaris celebrates two decades of building a movement and a world where the powerful cannot so easily exploit the vulnerable for profit. Today, we see a new urgency around awareness. It is more important than ever before to move past the myths, stereotypes, and unfounded fears that feed panics and conspiracy theories, which manifest in real harm to victims and survivors and fueled an unprecedented attack on our nation’s Capitol. Instead, we need to replace those dangerous myths with a deeper understanding of how human trafficking actually happens – and to whom – so we can craft policies that prevent the crime before it happens. That’s why we created this training.

New Legislation Provides Survivors with a Path to Financial Freedom
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New Legislation Provides Survivors with a Path to Financial Freedom

Lana’s* trafficker put all the credit cards in her name. So when he skipped out on hotel bills, and defaulted on the car payment, it went straight to her credit report. She thought they were in love and she didn’t mind helping out in the beginning – since his credit was bad. But she slowly came to understand that the relationship was abusive, and she needed to break free. That part was hard enough. What she wasn’t counting on was how difficult it would be to rebuild her life – including her finances. She couldn’t even rent an apartment with a credit history like that. And until recently, there was no clear pathway for getting her credit cleaned up.

Season 1 Finale: Introducing the 2021-22 Douglass Fellows
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Season 1 Finale: Introducing the 2021-22 Douglass Fellows

Listen to the podcast here. In the season one finale, Sam and Alicen provide new resources and introduce the newest class of Douglass fellows. If you or someone you know is currently in danger of human trafficking, you can view the national human trafficking hotline website here. You can reach the hotline by calling 1-888-373-7888…

The Future of the Anti-Trafficking Movement with Ambassador (ret) C.deBaca
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The Future of the Anti-Trafficking Movement with Ambassador (ret) C.deBaca

Listen to the podcast here. In this episode, Alicen and Sam met with Ambassador (ret) C.deBaca to discuss his career in anti-trafficking, the trajectory of anti-trafficking law, and the future of the field. If you or someone you know is currently in danger of human trafficking, you can view the national human trafficking hotline website…

The Importance of Education in Anti-Trafficking Work with Sandra Morgan
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The Importance of Education in Anti-Trafficking Work with Sandra Morgan

Listen to the podcast here. In this episode, Sam and Alicen speak with Dr. Sandra Morgan of Vanguard University. They discuss her career, the role of the Public-Private Partnership Advisory Council to End Human Trafficking, and the importance of anti-trafficking education for advocates. If you or someone you know is currently in danger of human…

The role of criminal prosecution in anti-trafficking work with Lindsey Roberson
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The role of criminal prosecution in anti-trafficking work with Lindsey Roberson

Listen to the podcast here. In this episode, Sam and Alicen speak with Senior Legal Counsel of the Human Trafficking Institute, Lindsey Roberson. They discuss her career, the role of criminal prosecution in anti-trafficking efforts, and the importance of victim centered prosecution efforts. If you or someone you know is currently in danger of human…