Fight Human Trafficking, Together

By Attorney General Ashley Moody

Making Florida a zero-tolerance state for human trafficking has been a top priority of mine since taking office as Florida’s Attorney General in 2019. If we are going to eradicate trafficking in Florida, it will take all of us working together. Through increased awareness, events, initiatives, new programs and training courses, we have been able to reach more Floridians to become fighters in the battle to end this atrocious crime in our state. Florida Trucking Association is one of our longest and most reliable teammates in the fight to end trafficking.

I am grateful for the thousands of individuals from FTA-member companies who have participated in anti-human trafficking trainings through Truckers Against Trafficking. They bring an all-hands-on-deck mindset and outstanding work ethic to this vital public safety mission.

Over the past three years, my office has created several new initiatives to help recruit new partners in this fight, starting with a campaign specifically for the Florida trucking industry. Highway Heroes is a multifaceted outreach campaign that includes awareness materials mailed directly to Commercial Driver License holders and a website with resources to educate drivers about how to identify victims and report suspected human trafficking. My office and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles launched the campaign in October 2020. Since then, nearly 4,600 commercial truck drivers have joined and received anti-human trafficking training through Highway Heroes, equipping them with the tools to spot and report to law enforcement suspicious activity on Florida’s 12,000 miles of highways.

My office’s newest initiative to combat human trafficking is the 100 Percent Club. This program recognizes Florida businesses that pledge to train their employees on how to spot and report suspected human trafficking safely and effectively. Through the 100 Percent Club, quick reference resource cards are provided to trainees to help them effectively report suspicious activities.

FTA member Landstar Systems, Inc., one of Florida’s largest trucking companies, was a founding member of the 100 Percent Club. My goal is to equip all CDL holders with proper human trafficking prevention training.

The same day we launched the 100 Percent Club, I also stood with the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking and the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association to announce a goal of providing human trafficking training to an additional 100,000 Floridians.

We also have a new statewide reporting line. During National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, I worked with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to create a new statewide tip line for citizens to call and report suspicious activity. The new number is being directly monitored by FDLE for calls of suspected human trafficking. Floridians can simply dial 1(800) 342-0820 from anywhere in the state to report to law enforcement. Tipsters should also contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1(888) 373-7888 after contacting law enforcement for victim assistance.

Before calling, it is important to know the signs. There are both physical and verbal indicators that may be cause for concern.

Physical signs include:

• Branding scars, burns or tattoos;

•Malnourishment, disorientation or confusion; and

• Dental issues, sleep deprivation or skin infections.

Verbal signs include:

• Responding as if coached or allowing someone else to speak for them;

• Fearful, anxious or paranoid; and

• Being reluctant to discuss injuries.

Parents and teachers should also be mindful of signs at school for students, including:

• Unexplained absences;

• Sudden changes in attire, behavior or relationships;

• Chronically running away; and

• Sudden increase in material possessions.

The past few years have presented us with challenges beyond the pandemic. With children’s increased activity online, predators shifted to digital recruitment tactics. More than 83% of active sex trafficking cases involve some form of online solicitation, according to the 2020 Federal Human Trafficking Report. For more in-depth information, parents can take advantage of my office’s 2022 Online Safety Toolkit. This comprehensive resource guide is designed to empower parents to teach their children about danger online. The toolkit also helps parents create effective plans for safe internet use. Having conversations and developing online safety strategies within a household is a critical factor that can significantly reduce the risk of traffickers successfully targeting children online.

We spent time discussing this crucial step for families at last year’s Human Trafficking Summit. For the second straight year, the summit was virtual and brought in more than 4,000 registered attendees from more than 40 states. Hours of educational content and breakout sessions are still accessible online at HumanTraffickingSummit2021.com through April 2022. I am grateful for all of our partners and their efforts in helping provide valuable information and resources to people – not only in our state but across the nation – working together to end human trafficking.

To join the fight to end human trafficking, visit YouCanStopHT.com.

We are all partners in this fight. By understanding the signs and remaining vigilant on the roadways, you can help us stop human trafficking and build a Stronger, Safer Florida.

Thank you!