Recognizing human trafficking during holiday travel

GRAND CHUTE, Wis. (WBAY) – As people in our area prepare to visit friends and family for Thanksgiving, a local travel agency wants to help everyone recognize the signs of human trafficking.

Wisconsin scored an “F” in the latest Child and Youth Sex Trafficking report card from an institute called Shared Hope International.

Fox World Travel workers want to spread the word and make a difference.

The agency has an online “Prevent Trafficking Toolkit” through its partnership with the organization PACT. Originally built for its thousands of business travelers, a lot of the information applies to anyone on our roads or in our skies.

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“It’s an uncomfortable topic. It isn’t something that you want to talk about because it is uncomfortable, but this would give you that step into information just to get you thinking about what to look for and to learn about the impact of human trafficking on the travel community,” Fox World Travel director of customer experience Mia Beltran said.

You can find quick, educational videos, training programs, infographics, even a quiz to test your knowledge. There’s also a pocket card you can print out with the international hand signals for needing help.

Beltran said the goal is giving people a better understanding of the impacts of human trafficking and how it can happen anywhere.

“And it isn’t just about travel anymore. You could be at a convenience store. This gives you some ideas for what to look for, because you could see some of those signals even at a convenience store here along Highway 41,” Beltran said.

The U.S. State Department estimates there are more than 27 million human trafficking victims around the world at any time.

A report released Monday morning from AAA says nearly 80 million people in the U.S. are traveling this Thanksgiving. That’s 80 million people who could see signs of human trafficking in action.

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