CVSA’s Human Trafficking Prevention program seeks to reduce human trafficking throughout North America through coordinated enforcement and investigative and educational awareness measures within the commercial motor vehicle industry.
A global crime, human trafficking enslaves more than 40 million people in both labor and sex trafficking. Traffickers are motivated by greed, exploiting the most vulnerable among us to the tune of $150 billion annually. This heinous crime is happening throughout North America and has been reported in every U.S. and Mexican state, and in all Canadian provinces. Beyond being trafficked within their own nation’s borders, our citizens are also being used and exploited across national borders.
Human traffickers sell their victims in cities and rural areas, along our nation’s roadways, and at numerous locations and events. Because traffickers use our transportation systems, including commercial motor vehicles, to transport victims, it’s imperative that the law enforcement community and industry partners be involved in fighting this crime. These stakeholders need to learn to recognize the signs of human trafficking and how to report it, as their involvement is vital in assisting in victim recovery.
Beyond enforcement of anti-trafficking laws, law enforcement and all other members of the Alliance have a critical role to play in educating and equipping industry stakeholders about human trafficking and how to combat it. The U.S. Department of Transportation Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking issued a report citing the substantial role transportation industries, law enforcement and government agencies can play to close loopholes to traffickers, including forming private/public partnerships, adopting the Iowa Motor Vehicle Enforcement Model and implementing industry-specific training, including for law enforcement officers.