FOLLOW US

As National Human Trafficking Awareness/Prevention month continues, many officials are hard at work to raise awareness about this crime, along with empowering people to fight back against it.

Many anti-human trafficking organizations partner with law enforcement and other entities in order to educate the general public. This can happen via seminars, along with other events and initiatives.

Law enforcement especially plays a pivotal role in the fight against human trafficking. After all, these authorities are the ones who pursue human traffickers after they've committed crimes, conduct sting operations to catch them in the act, and more.

In Arizona, the state's law enforcement body remains hard at work to educate folks and about what human trafficking entails.

Straight from the horse's mouth

With the incoming arrival of the Super Bowl LVII in Arizona, state authorities want the public to know what human trafficking is and why it's a problem.

According to Phoenix police, many traffickers promise to take good care of their victims and keep them safe. Then, this is when exploitation begins. Law enforcement in Phoenix also warns that sex trafficking and prostitution maintain very deep connections.

Just because someone appears to be willingly working the streets, all is not always what it seems. Many traffickers place tracking devices on their victims, blackmail them, or threaten to harm their loved ones.

Law enforcement in Arizona's Phoenix area have also pointed out that big events such as the Super Bowl are viewed as "playing fields" and "Christmas" for pimps and human traffickers.

More on Arizona's anti-human trafficking efforts

The Human Exploitation and Trafficking Unit (HEAT) in Arizona is on the ground to stop cases of human trafficking when possible.

Some of HEAT's work involves going undercover, making "deals" with suspected trafficking victims, and then taking these victims in where they can receive help from anti-human trafficking groups and advocates.

Other members of the community in Arizona, such as teachers, survivors, etc., are working to raise awareness and aid the fight against human trafficking.

Anyone who wishes to report what they believe to be human trafficking can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline via phone at 1 (888) 373-7888 or by text at 233733.