https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/contact
As first noted in Alison Phillips’s Dec 2022 article and reiterated in her Jan 2023 post, there are critical flaws in the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH) tip reporting protocol. The National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH) is not reporting tips of adult trafficking to state law enforcement except under the limited circumstance where the victim self-reports and affirmatively consents to the NHTH making the report. Some states are reporting that they receive tips from the NHTH a month, sometimes two months, after a tip of suspected trafficking is reported to the NHTH.
On 27 Feb 2023, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG), on behalf of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and 35 other attorneys general, sent a letter to the top four Congressional leaders urging them to ensure that Polaris makes changes to its current and reported planned tip reporting policies to begin forwarding tips regarding suspected human trafficking of adults, in a prompt manner, to the corresponding state’s law enforcement officials for their evaluation and response to ensure victim safety. The NAAG letter makes the case that Polaris/NHTH current polices not only contravenes one of Congress’ intended functions of the NHTH, but also disrupts the federal-state partnership to end human trafficking and help its victims. NAAG notes the Trafficking Victims Prevention and Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022, signed into law on 5 Jan 2023, reauthorized $3.5 million for the NHTH each fiscal year through federal Fiscal Year 2028 (see Implementation Issues: H.R. 7181 – Human Trafficking Prevention Act of 2022 article, 16 Jan 2023). The NAAG says it appears the NHTH is not performing the services it is already funded to perform. Without changes to Polaris’s operating procedures, state anti-trafficking initiatives gain little from participation in the NHTH. As such, individual states may be forced to establish their own state hotlines, as some already have begun to do. A nationally-run hotline not only achieves cost-efficiencies, but also ensures a uniform approach and allows for the collection of cross-state information with regard to human trafficking tips. The NAAG says it cannot in good conscience continue to ask the public to share tips about trafficking in their communities if the NHTH will not provide law enforcement the opportunity to address those tips. It serves no one well to do so, least of all the victims that could be helped by a tip phoned in by a good Samaritan who sees their suffering and tries to do the right thing.
On 1 Mar 2023, Polaris’s Statement on Concerns Related to the National Human Trafficking Hotline essentially explains the NHTH is not a law enforcement tipline contrary to some of its own and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which administers the grant under which Polaris operates the NHTH, accounts (detailed in the NAAG letter). Catherine Chen, Chief Executive Officer of Polaris, reportedly stated in 2022 NHTH was beginning to transition away from serving as a tipline to concentrate more on connecting survivors with resources. This is a great departure from NAAG’s understanding of the current practices and purposes of the NHTH and a serious detriment to NAAG’s work to stop trafficking and aid its victims.
NHTH tip reports are crucial to catching criminals, to recovering victims, to uncovering evidence of broader trafficking operations, and more. They are needed to assist local and state law enforcement to end trafficking and to help its victims.
30 Nov 2023
If members of Congress want to demonstrate that they truly listen to survivors, then they should vote NO on H.R. 2601.
This bill would require the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH) to turn over information shared by the public to law enforcement, regardless of whether or not the victim consents. The NHTH should remain a safe space for survivors to decide when to involve law enforcement in their situations.
Contact your representative and ask them to stand up for trafficking survivors and vote NO on HR 2601: https://lnkd.in/dutN7HXW
hashtag#NOonHR2601 hashtag#HR2601
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Victoria G.View Victoria G.’s profile • 2ndSelf-employed NSA / Paralegal / Advocate Against IBSA
20h
As a survivor I say SHARE IT. Lock them up! When calling the hotline, there are extremely long wait times and nothing is actually done to help anyone. Most survivors assume you will be helping to get justice, not just gathering data for your personal use.
