National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233733)
This page contains tools, articles, and guides on serving victims and survivors of human trafficking. These resources have been designed and selected to help Community Health Centers and Primary Care Associations offer culturally competent services to this population. Please contact the CHAMPS Programs Coordinator, Population Health if you have any questions about these materials or would like to share any other useful resources.
Visit the CHAMPS Victims and Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Resources webpage for additional IPV resources.
Please click or scroll down for:
Human Trafficking Introduction
Articles and Reports
Education and Training
Provider Resources
Patient Resources
Other Resources
HUMAN TRAFFICKING INTRODUCTION
Human Trafficking is the action or practice of illegally transporting people from one country or area to another, typically for the purposes of forced labor or sexual exploitation.
U.S. law defines human trafficking as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to compel a person into commercial sex acts or labor or services against their will. The one exception involves minors and commercial sex. Inducing a minor into commercial sex is considered human trafficking regardless of the presence of force, fraud, or coercion.
Alliance to Lead Impact in Global Human Trafficking (ALIGHT)
Tips for Identifying Possible Human Trafficking Survivors
One-pager that includes definition, examples of traffickers’ methods, red flags, and possible indicators. (2019)
International Labor Office (ILO)
Profits and Poverty: The Economics of Forced Labor
Highlights how forced labor thrives in the incubator of poverty and vulnerability, low levels of education and literacy, migration, and other factors. Illustrates the need for stronger measures of prevention and protection and for enhanced law enforcement as the basic responses to forced labor. (2014)
Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS)
10 Ways You Can Help End Trafficking
List of ways to help combat human trafficking.
Polaris
Cómo Identificar Víctimas Potenciales de Trata de Personas
Dispositivas de presentación que contienen información sobre cómo identificar posibles víctimas de la trata de personas (originalmente presentado al personal de los consuelos de México, Guatemala, El Salvador y Honduras). (2019)
How to Identify Potential Victims of Human Trafficking
Presentation slides containing information on how to identify potential victims of human trafficking (originally presented to staff of the consulates of Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras). (June 2019)
Human Trafficking Myths and Facts
List of false conceptions and truths about human trafficking.
Is It Human Trafficking?
Guide to help conceptualize what is and is not considered human trafficking.
University of Nevada, Reno
The Global, National, and State Fight Against Sex Trafficking
Resource guide created for social workers, human rights activists, and health care communities who are looking to build awareness around sex trafficking and how to prevent these crimes while assisting victims.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Human Trafficking 101
Information sheet that defines human trafficking, discusses who may be vulnerable, how to identify a potential victim, and how to report a tip. Available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese (simplified and traditional), French, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, and Vietnamese.
U.S. Department of State
15 Ways You Can Help Fight Human Trafficking
List of ways for people to get involved and participate in disrupting human trafficking.
About Human Trafficking
General vocabulary, definitions, and information about human trafficking.
ARTICLES AND REPORTS
Human Trafficking Legal Center
Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence
Fact sheet that provides examples in the context of human trafficking and domestic violence, highlighting cases in which courts and administrative bodies recognized the nexus between human trafficking and domestic violence. (2018)
International Labor Office (ILO)
Global Estimates of Modern Slavery: Forced Labor and Forced Marriage
Report aimed at informing global efforts towards the United Nations (U.N.) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 target by helping to provide robust information on the numbers of people being affected by modern slavery and its various manifestations. (2017)
Loyola University Beasly School of Law
The Health Consequences of Sex Trafficking and Their Implications for Identifying Victims of Healthcare Facilities
Paper that examines the health consequences of sex trafficking including the various health and mental health illnesses and injuries sex trafficking victims face and offers public policy recommendations. (2014)
National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC)
Intersections of Homelessness and Human Trafficking: A Case Study on End Slavery Tennessee
Provides an example of quality services for individuals with the experience of both homelessness and human trafficking, and shares signs providers can use to identify a history of trafficking and additional health considerations. (2019)
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Hotline Statistics – National
Statistics based on aggregated information learned through signals – phone calls, texts, online chats, emails, and online tip reports – received by the National Hotline. The data do not define the totality of human trafficking or of a trafficking network in any given area. The National Hotline uses this data to help human trafficking victims and survivors and to provide the anti-trafficking field with information to help combat all forms of human trafficking.
Hotline Statistics in Region VIII: Provides state-wide statistics, resources, and local events listings.
Colorado
Montana
North Dakota
South Dakota
Utah
Wyoming
National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC)
Human Trafficking and J-1 Visa Holders Report
Report on calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline 2011-2015 concerning J-1 visa holders. (2016)
Polaris
Efforts to Combat Human Trafficking by State: State profiles that summarize regionally specific data to help promote collaboration and inform and enhance the response to human trafficking in Region VIII States. (2017)
Colorado
Montana
North Dakota
South Dakota
Utah
Wyoming
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
National Action Plan
HHS strengthens prevention of human trafficking and support for survivors in National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking. (2021)
U.S. Department of State
Trafficking in Persons Report
Comprehensive assessment of what governments around the world are doing to combat the crime of human trafficking. This report contains the latest information and guides action in the U.S. and abroad. (2019)
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
American Hospital Association (AHA)
Human Trafficking 101: Dispelling the Myths
Shares information on how to identify and assist trafficked persons with victim-centered, trauma-informed care and services. (2018)
Futures Without Violence
Project Catalyst
HRSA-funded initiative that helps health centers support patients experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) and human trafficking. The goal is to integrate IPV and human trafficking response into the health care delivery system. Project Catalyst does this by bringing together teams from state Primary Care Associations (PCAs), domestic violence coalitions, and state health departments to educate health center providers and promote policy change.
Health, Education, Advocacy, Linkage (HEAL) Trafficking
Webinars
Collection of webinars on various subjects relating to human trafficking.
International Organization for Adolescents (IOFA)
Human Trafficking 101 Webinar
Introductory webinar on human trafficking and how it may intersect with youth and adults with disabilities. (2018)
National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH)
Recognizing and Responding to Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking in Health Center Settings
Archived webinar that provides promising practices on this subject from two health centers. (2019)
National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH) & HHS
NHTH & HHS Online Trainings
Interactive trainings covering a variety of human trafficking-oriented subjects.
National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC)
Recognizing and Responding to Human Trafficking in a Healthcare Context Webinar
Enables healthcare professionals to define human trafficking and recognize how victims may come into contact with healthcare, learn to identify potential human trafficking victims in a clinical setting, and identify promising practices for assisting a patient who may be a potential trafficking victim. (Updated 2016)
Office on Trafficking in Persons (OTIP), HHS
Look Beneath the Surface
Works with grantees and partners to raise awareness of human trafficking and the factors that make certain populations more at risk.
National Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Center (NHTTAC)
Delivers training and technical assistance (T/TA) to inform and enhance the public health response to human trafficking.
OTIP Homepage
Landing page for various resources on victim assistance, training, partnerships, research and policy, grants, and resources.
Stop, Observe, Ask, Respond (SOAR) to Health and Wellness Training
Seeks to build the capacity of communities to identify and respond to the complex needs of individuals who have experienced trafficking and understand the root causes that make individuals, families, and communities vulnerable to trafficking.
SOAR for Native Communities
Training designed to equip those serving Indigenous populations to better understand the issues surrounding human trafficking and its impact in Native communities. Identifies resources relevant to Indigenous populations and supports the building of responses to human trafficking in Native communities.
SOAR Online
Series of continuing education/continuing medical education (CE/CME) training modules tailored for specific professionals on how to identify and respond to human trafficking including SOAR for Health Care, SOAR for Behavioral Health, SOAR for Health and Wellness, SOAR for Public Health, Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services, Trauma-Informed Care, and more.
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Human Trafficking of Older Adults: Abuse, Trafficking, and Exploitation
Provides domestic violence and sexual assault advocates with an understanding of human trafficking and its intersections with domestic violence and sexual abuse in older adults. (2019)
PROVIDER RESOURCES
National Human Trafficking Hotline
888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233-733)
humantraffickinghotline.org
Report Trafficking
Various ways to report trafficking.
Administration for Children & Families, HHS
Core Competencies for Human Trafficking Response in Health Care and Behavioral Health Systems
Tool that identifies core competencies that health care professionals can develop to best serve individuals who have experienced or are at risk of forced labor or commercial sex exploitation. (2021)
Resources Specific to Victims of Human Trafficking
Resources on trauma-informed care for victims and survivors of human trafficking.
Alliance to Lead Impact in Global Human Trafficking (ALIGHT)
Working with Human Trafficking Survivors: A primer on Trauma for Lawyers, Advocates, and Others
Provides background on trauma, its impacts, and guidance on working with individuals who have experienced it. Provides useful details that will aid in developing an understanding of clients as well as helpful pointers about taking care of self. (2016)
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)
Women’s Healthcare Providers and Human Trafficking
Information for providers working with women in relation to human trafficking.
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Primary Care Digest – Special Edition: Intimate Partner Violence and Human Trafficking
Includes vetted resources and promising practices to help provide the necessary care and services for victims of IPV and human trafficking.
National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC)
Framework for a Human Trafficking Protocol in Healthcare Settings
Provides a step-by-step guide for action once a potential human trafficking victim has been identified by a healthcare professional. (2016)
Human Trafficking Assessment Tool for Domestic Violence Programs – Spanish
Trafficking assessment tool for domestic violence and sexual assault programs to identify and assist potential victims of trafficking in Spanish. (2017)
Labor Trafficking Victim Outreach Card
Wallet-sized card with indicators of labor trafficking and contact information for the NHTRC. (2014)
Sex Trafficking Victim Outreach Card
Wallet-sized card with indicators of sex trafficking and contact information for the NHTRC. (2014)
What to Look for in a Healthcare Setting
At-a-Glance document describing the role healthcare professionals should take in identifying and serving victims of trafficking and describing the short-term and long-term health effects of human trafficking on victims. (2016)
Polaris
Promising Practices: An Overview of Trauma-Informed Therapeutic Support for Survivors of Human Trafficking
Therapeutic supports to help survivors foster resilience, process trauma, and reconnect with their bodies after experiencing violence. (2015)
Vera Institute of Justice
Victim Assessment Tool
Statistically validated screening tool for victims of human trafficking that encompasses both labor and sex trafficking; adult and child victims; foreign nationals and U.S. citizens. Available in long form or short form. Also available in Spanish. (2014)
PATIENT RESOURCES
National Human Trafficking Hotline
1-888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233733)
humantraffickinghotline.org
Report Trafficking
Various ways to report trafficking.
Alliance to Lead Impact in Global Human Trafficking (ALIGHT)
Get Help
Free legal advocacy, counsel, and representation for victims and survivors of human trafficking to deal with a myriad of issues.
Health, Education, Advocacy, Linkage (HEAL) Trafficking
Patient Resources
Includes articles, research, reports, and more specifically for patients.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Referral Directory
Made up of anti-trafficking organizations and programs that offer emergency, transitional, or long-term services to victims and survivors of human trafficking as well as those that provide resources and opportunities in the anti-trafficking field.
Safety Planning
Information on safety planning including risk assessments, preparations, and contingency plans to increase the safety of a human trafficking victim or an individual at-risk for human trafficking, as well as any agency or individual assisting a victim. Available in Spanish as well.
Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Office of Justice Programs
Victims/Survivors
List of resources to help victims and survivors receive the assistance they need.
Polaris
Get Assistance
Directory for local services and resources for victims and survivors of human trafficking.
OTHER RESOURCES
Agape International Missions (AIM)
agapewebsite.org
Focused on stopping the cycle of sex trafficking and exploitation in Cambodia by preventing human trafficking and rescuing, restoring, and reintegrating survivors.
Alliance to Lead Impact in Global Human Trafficking (ALIGHT)
alightnet.org
Has pioneered a flexible and efficient way to connect survivors to specialized, free legal services from untapped expertise in the legal community.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Sex Trafficking
Information about sex trafficking, the risks and consequences, and prevention efforts.
Freedom Network
freedomnetworkusa.org
National coalition of service providers and advocates who work directly with survivors of human trafficking using a human rights-based, empowering approach.
Health Center Resource Clearinghouse
healthcenterinfo.org
Clearinghouse of health center resources. Search “Human Trafficking” for resources on this topic.
Safe Horizon
safehorizon.org
Leading victim assistance organization with the mission of providing support, preventing violence, and promoting justice for victims of crime and abuse, their families, and communities.