TAT

Good Morning. (Introduce yourself and setup the training).

Human trafficking is the exploitation of human beings through force, fraud or coercion for the purposes of either commercial sex...think prostitution, stripping, pornography, brothels, and most typically pimps. As well as forced labor or labor trafficking ... think sweatshops, agricultural fields, workers not being paid for their labor or being held against their will or being forced to work long hours. And all of this is being driven by a trafficker, a victimizer ... a person who is in control and is making a profit off of someone else's labor. This is human trafficking and it is indeed modern day slavery.

Oftentimes, people confuse smuggling with trafficking. However, smuggling is a crime against a border, and trafficking is a crime against a person. You may pay someone $3000 to smuggle you across the border, and in doing so participate in the crime of smuggling, but if you get to your final destination and the person you paid turns around and tells you that the money you gave them is not enough, and that now you must work for them for X amount of years until you've paid off your debt, you have now become a victim of human trafficking. Human trafficking can involve movement, but it is not required. For example, a survivor of domestic sex trafficking that we worked with was trafficked by her father out of her own home when he allowed men to come to their garage and rape her for money.

And while we are talking about modern day slavery here, oftentimes the chains are invisible ... which is why victims can't just walk away. The means that traffickers use to keep their victims compliant and under their control, are force, fraud and coercion. Force is of course everything you can think of ... from the one-off beatings to brutal assaults. Victims are raped, gang raped, forced into drug addiction, mutilated, tortured, knifed and shot. Fraud consists of false employment offers, promising a fantastic job in an exciting city, or as a model, and then exploiting that person into the sex trade. Anytime false promises, and lying about work conditions exist, fraud is present. But without a doubt, coercion is the most powerful means that traffickers use to keep their victims under their control. This consists of threats to life, threats to safety and threats to family members. These are the psychological abuses that are so powerful...where the pimp plays the "daddy" or the "boyfriend" role in the life of the victim. And here I want to point out that according to the federal definition of human trafficking...force, fraud and coercion only need to be proved in an adult human trafficking case. Any minor involved in a commercial sex act is a victim of human trafficking automatically and needs services. It doesn't matter if she's smiling or appears to want to be out there ... that child needs an adult to stand up for her and do what she cannot. Especially when the victims themselves don't self-identify as victims ... completely fooled by their trafficker, they think that this life is what love looks like, and that one day it will be just the two of them living a happy life. It may seem strange to us, but when you consider how entrenched the psychological abuses are, and the fact that many victims are young, teenage girls and your average pimp is an older male, this is an all too frequent reality.

Sometimes the best way to understand a subject is to dispel the myths that surround it. People often think that slavery was abolished with the Civil War, and that it just doesn't happen anymore. But the following statistics prove that statement false.

(read the stat) ... that means that there are more slaves today than at any other time in the history of the world, and that includes the 400 years of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

(read the stat) ... making it the second largest criminal activity in the world.

(read stat) This is not just a crime that is happening in a third world country or somewhere over there ... it is a local crime and most likely happening in your neighborhood.

(read stat) No one is immune from this crime, especially vulnerable children who do not have a good support structure at home.

(read stat) truly, this stat should read, "raped up to 20 times a day."

The second myth that needs dispelling is that all traffickers look like T.V. pimps, when in reality they take on all types of appearances and really are all around us.

Here's a snapshot of just some of those who have been arrested on human trafficking charges. As you can see, this crime knows no racial, gender or socio-economic bounds. I'd especially like to draw your attention to the woman pictured in the top right. She was India's deputy consul general for the state of New York, when she was arrested on December 12, 2013 and accused of forcing her house keeper to work 16 hour days for $3 per hour, and of fraudulently obtaining the staff member's visa. This is a crime of power, control and greed ... and traffickers come from all types of backgrounds.

And when we're talking about domestic sex trafficking this quote says it all.

Part of the reason this crime runs rampant in our country is that we have deeply embedded cultural stereotypes that glorify pimp culture and dehumanize and objectify prostituted people. From television shows like, "pimp my ride" and the language we use on a continual basis that interchanges "pimpin'" for something desirable or cool, to actual Pimps 'N Hoes parties that celebrate real life slave drivers, to Halloween costumes and major backpack ads targeted at our children ... our culture needs a wakeup call. And no matter what you believe politically, no former secretary of state should be referred to like this in an advertising campaign. And in the wildly popular video game, Grand Theft Auto Five, you can have sex with a prostituted person, causing your score to increase, and then murder her. We need to be talking to the children in our life about what pimps really are, because these are the messages they are receiving from our culture.

And while nobody wants to think that this type of thing can happen in their neighborhood, reality just doesn't bear that out. From the national 3-day stings the FBI conducts, to busts in Nevada, OH, AR, LA and Iowa ... this crime knows no borders.

And why do we have so many victims of sex trafficking? ... because there is a continual demand for illegal sex. The good news is, more and more law enforcement agencies are recognizing that in order to help stop domestic sex trafficking, they need to arrest the buyers who fuel the demand for such a thing. Case in point ... On August 31st of 2016 in CLARKSBURG, WV - Law enforcement conducted a reverse sting focusing on the demand for illegal sex. Clarksburg Police Chief Robert Hilliard said six men were in custody by 1:40 p.m. Each of the men stand accused of soliciting prostitution from vehicles in downtown Clarksburg. $1,000 cash bond was set for each defendant, and all five men will be required to obtain HIV testing and undergo related counseling as part of their bond condition. And check out this extremely recent story from Fargo, ND, where 8 people were arrested in a Guardian Angel Human Trafficking Operation. These undercover operations targeted adults agreeing to engage in sexual activity with minors. All of those arrested in Fargo were arrested for patronizing a minor for Commercial Sexual Activity, a Class A Felony. A Class A Felony is punishable up to 20 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

And you might have heard of these guys? Laura Sorensen and Aldair Hodza, who made national news when arrested on January 6th of 2015 in VA at a truck stop. According to the incident report, officers were called to the scene at 3:20 p.m. and were allowed inside the RV by the occupants, who said they were in the area on vacation and to visit Sorenson's daughter. The officers, however, observed that the alleged victim appeared frightened and exhibited signs of malnutrition. A State Police trooper took the young woman outside where she began to weep and beg the trooper not to let her return to the RV. She told the trooper she was being held against her will and had been abused sexually and physically by the suspects. She also said the suspects threatened to kill or injure her family. She said she had infections all over her body and couldn't remember the last time she had anything to eat or drink, adding that several days had passed. After being placed in an ambulance, she told another investigator that the suspects had "branded" her on her back and had inflicted burns on other parts of her body along with lacerating her feet. She also said no one back home in Iowa considered her missing since the suspects forced her to communicate with family members, telling them that nothing out of the ordinary was taking place. According to the report, she later told a State Police investigator she was forced to perform oral sex on Hodza, whom she called "John," and another unknown male that same day inside the RV at the truck stop parking lot. The encounter had been arranged through a Craigslist ad. This is what sex trafficking looks like in our country.

In response to these realities, Truckers Against Trafficking recognized that the trucking industry, through their sheer numbers, extensive travels, and the nature of their jobs ... could provide an extra set of eyes and ears for law enforcement in recovering victims and having pimps arrested ... especially since in the course of their everyday jobs, professional drivers are often in places they could come into contact with victims of human trafficking ... although this list is not exhaustive. Pimps take their victims wherever they can make money. They are counting on everyone thinking that the person being sold is "just a prostitute." If all drivers were trained and knew what to look for and then immediately reported it ... imagine how many victims would be recovered and how many pimps arrested ... this is our goal.

TAT also works extensively with law enforcement and government agencies to facilitate the investigation of human trafficking as every agency has a role to play in ending this horrible crime. We firmly believe that trucking and law enforcement need to be partners in closing loopholes to traffickers and bring together federal, state and local agencies with key industry stakeholders on a routine basis to do just that.

So, we began Truckers Against Trafficking in 2009 and our mission is to educate, equip, empower and mobilize members of the trucking industry to combat human trafficking as part of their regular jobs.

Our primary training tool is our training DVD that we're asking safety directors to implement during training and orientation.

Alongside the training DVD, we'd like to get a TAT wallet card into the hands of every truck driver in America. You'll notice the national hotline number on the front ... 1-888-3737-888, and yes we write the number that way on purpose because it's easier for folks to remember. Please note that this is the number anyone in the US suspecting human trafficking can call to anonymously and confidentially report a tip. I want to also highlight the warning on the backside of the card not to approach traffickers. Instead, we ask individuals to make the call from the anonymity of their cab. However, if someone observes trafficking in a place of business, we do ask that they inform the manager what is taking place on his/her property as well as calling in the information.

When you open the card up you will see the basic definition of human trafficking, as well as what law enforcement needs when someone reports a tip. Actionable information is extremely necessary for an investigation to be opened ... descriptions of cars, license plate numbers, descriptions of people, specific times and dates, etc. Also, on the right hand side of the card you will find red flags that you might be interacting with a victim of human trafficking ... does she know where she is? Oftentimes pimps move their girls from place to place so that they can form relationships and don't know where to go for help. Does she have any ID on her? Does she talk about making a quota? Any signs of branding on her? All of these things can help a driver determine whether or not he's looking at a victim here ... but of course, the two most obvious signs are: if a minor is selling commercial sex or there is any sign of pimp control ... as pimps can and do stay on the premises from time to time, or they often drop off girls in multiple numbers, or can even be involved in the bartering process. It is also very critical to stress that the call needs to be made IMMEDIATELY. When pimps keep their victims in transit, time is of the essence. So, if the driver can make a call right away with the information, it will help law enforcement to respond more quickly and hopefully make a recovery and arrest before they are able to leave the premises. Always remember, and please tell your drivers that the hotline staff are there to answer any questions anyone might have ... and it's okay to be wrong. Better to call and not have it turn out to be a trafficking situation, then to leave it alone and that victim continues to endure a life of sexual slavery.

The stigma around prostitution is alive and real ... and in many circles. In trucking, we have found that the term "lot lizard" is most often used to describe people selling commercial sex. But it is our hope that as individuals become more aware of the realities of domestic sex trafficking insofar as many women and children are forced to participate in this crime, that when someone gets a knock on the door, or observes a woman or a child selling commercial sex ... that their first thought will be, "I'm looking at a potential victim." To that end, TAT created a window decal that allows drivers to keep the number handy, and remind them of the critical role they can play in assisting someone who might not otherwise receive help.

Our truck stop partners also play an invaluable role in helping to combat human trafficking. Last November, Field Manager Debo Adepiti at the TA Travel Plaza in Jessup, Maryland was making a premise check, including the fuel desk, mechanics shop and hotel, when Alan Bailey, the night porter, told him a young lady had recently come in dressed provocatively; the porter suspected prostitution. After speaking with both the driver of the van that brought the girl, as well as the young lady when she left the hotel, Adepiti believed the girl was being trafficked. He contacted Howard County police. When detectives arrived, they recognized a woman from one of the "X-Factor" ads they'd been investigating for two months on Backpage.com. As a result of Adepiti's call, they arrested two men and a woman on human trafficking charges. The trio were advertising as many as 12 women from various states, posting ads, renting hotel rooms, scheduling appointments for prostitution and taking money from the women after they were forced to perform sex acts. Detectives also learned all three individuals provided drugs to keep the women high, making them work without sleep, assaulting them and forcing them to perform sex acts with them under threat. Police were able to locate and recover six of the women being abused by the ring of traffickers.

We have three main goals. The first is to saturate the trucking and related industries with our training materials.

And our last goal is to marshal the resources of our partners to combat this crime. Of course, the only way we can do this work is through our partnerships with the trucking, manufacturing, shipping, or CDL Testers ... as well as law enforcement and government agencies...who offer their time, experience, and influence to further this work in a myriad of ways... (SWITCH TO NEXT SLIDE WHILE FINISHING THIS SENTENCE).

... whether it's training their own employees, encouraging another key industry stakeholder to become involved with the program, or partnering with TAT to get the word out...we are continually grateful for those who are helping us "move the needle."

Along these same lines, TAT created a 48' long renovated, show trailer entitled the Freedom Drivers Project, in order to educate audiences all around the country about the realities of domestic sex trafficking and how one industry is really driving change in this area. The Freedom Drivers Project has already been invited to multiple events with US Congressmen, national and international leaders in this field, is on display at major trucking shows and will be a part of every coalition build meeting we do this year with law enforcement.

And the good news is, this program is actually working. Truckers have made 1660 calls into the national hotline, leading to 533 likely cases of human trafficking, involving 1139 victims, 313 of them are minors. And you have to remember that this is just one slice of the data pie ... these are only the numbers coming into the hotline from folks who know to call the hotline and are willing. No one is tracking 911 data and calls made to the local sheriff.

Because all of these efforts are ultimately to bring it back to this guy, and the millions like him that diligently and safely deliver products throughout our nation. This is Con-way Truckload driver Kevin Kimmel who happened to be at the same truck stop that Laura Sorensen and Aldair Hodza pulled their RV into on January 6th of this year. Kevin noticed Hodza going back and forth from the RV to the convenience store. He also noticed different knocking on the door of the RV, but it was when he saw the young woman try to stick her head out the window only to have it violently snapped back, a black curtain pulled in its place and a commotion ensue inside that Kevin made a phone call that resulted in the state trooper coming out and separating the young woman from her traffickers. Today, thanks to Kevin's call, that young woman is at home with her family in Clive, IA ... and Laura Sorensen and Aldair Hodza were just sentenced to 40 and 41 years in prison.

So, how can you make a difference? First and foremost, if you ever see human trafficking taking place, do not hesitate ... call the national hotline and report what you are seeing immediately. Time is of the essence in these cases, and please don't assume somebody else will make the call ... you could be the difference in saving that person's life. Secondly, if you are in a position where you find yourself interacting with a potential victim, please take a victim-centered approach. Show compassion. Listen. Ask good questions from the TAT wallet card that will help you discover if this person needs help. Letting them know someone cares and sees them as a human being who matters, does a great service whether or not they are recovered that day. And lastly, spread the word ... to your colleagues in the field, other drivers, truck stop employees, your companies safety director so the entire company can get trained. But also take this message back home to your kids. We need to be having honest conversations with our children about what pimps really are. They are slave drivers, plain and simple. Our kids need to know this truth and they need to hear it from adults who love them and they know they can trust.

Human trafficking is the greatest human rights violation of our time. While the majority of people desire to make an impact with their lives, to go beyond the bottom line and ensure that their careers effect lasting change for the good, not everyone is in a position to make that a reality. But you are. TAT is working ... the trucking industry is rallying behind this movement ... and each one of you is a critical player in ensuring more lives will be saved. Thank you.