Human trafficking, under both federal and Florida law, is defined as the transporting, soliciting, recruiting, harboring, providing, or obtaining of a person through force, fraud or coercion for the purpose of forced labor and/or commercial sex. Victims of human trafficking include men, women, boys, girls, and transgender individuals. Child human trafficking applies to persons under the age of 18. If the sex trafficking victim is under the age of 18, it is considered child human trafficking regardless of whether force, fraud and/or coercion exist.

There are approximately 30 million people enslaved throughout the world with 2.5 million located right here in the United States.

• Many of these victims are lured with false promises of financial or emotional security; instead, they are forced or coerced into commercial sex (prostitution), domestic servitude or other types of forced labor.
• Any minor under the age of 18 who is induced to perform a commercial sex act is a victim of human trafficking according to U.S. law, regardless of whether there is force, fraud or coercion. Increasingly, criminal organizations, such as gangs, are luring children from local schools into commercial sexual exploitation or trafficking.
• According to the U.S. Department of Justice, every two minutes a child is trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation in the United States.

Schools display the Child Trafficking Free Zone Poster to create a safer environment for students. Staff should stay informed about and follow the District's human trafficking protocols. If you suspect someone may be a victim, take immediate action by following the protocols. Together, we can protect our students and community. 

In cases of emergency, call 911 immediately, but if you think you have encountered a victim of human trafficking or to get help from law enforcement: 

• Contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center: 
  • Call the hotline at 1-888-373-7888, open 24 hours a day/7 days a week – interpreters are available.
  • Text the BeFree Text line by texting "BeFree" (233733). 
• Submit a tip online at http://www.traffickingresourcecenter.org/(link is external).
• Contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children CyberTipline.
• Call toll-free (24/7) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at 1-866-347-2423.
• Submit a tip online at http://www.ice.gov/tips.

To report sexually exploited or abused minors

• Call the Florida Abuse Hotline - 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873).
• If a child is in urgent need of assistance, contact law enforcement or child protective services to report abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child. Contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline to speak to professional crisis counselors who can connect a caller with a local number to report abuse: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453).
• Call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children(link is external)’s (NCMEC) hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).
• Report incidents at http://www.cybertipline.org(link is external).

Other ways to report suspected human trafficking 

• U.S. Department of State, Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
• US Dept. of State Fact Sheets
• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

To learn about services for victims

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families 
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Blue Campaign, Victim Assistance Resources: http://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/victim-centered-approach
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, Funded Service Providers List: https://ovc.ojp.gov/directory-crime-victim-services

Please Note: A program or website being mentioned here does not imply endorsement by the School Board of Broward County and does not necessarily reflect its views. Contact the program developers directly for the most current information.

BCPS Specific Materials

• The BCPS Child Trafficking Prevention Education Toolkit
• The Child Trafficking Free Zone poster

Campaigns and National Materials

• Abolish Campaign provides aimed at Broward County from the Junior League –  Brochure, Flyer, Infomercial #1, Infomercial #2, PSA video
• Addressing the Growing Problem of Domestic Sex Trafficking of Minors through PBIS
• A21 exists to bring awareness of the millions of men, women, and children who are currently trapped in slavery across the world.
• Look Beneath the Surface, Office on Trafficking in Persons identifies and serves victims of human trafficking, assisting foreign trafficking victims in the United States to become eligible for public benefits and services to the same extent as refugees. The program also raises awareness of human trafficking through the HHS Rescue & Restore Victims of Human Trafficking campaign. Order free “Look Beneath The Surface” posters and other materials here.
• Blue Campaign's website offers comprehensive resources available for public distribution.
• Tools for Educators
• Red Flags

To learn about services for victims

• U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Blue Campaign, Victim Assistance Resources: http://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/victim-centered-approach
• U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Victims of Crime, Funded Service Providers List: https://ovc.ojp.gov/program/human-trafficking/grants-funding

Broward County

• Broward Human Trafficking Coalition

Florida

• Florida Department of Children and Families
• Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking
• Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights
• Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, Inc. (STAC)
• YouCanStopHT.com

National

• United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Global Report on Trafficking in Persons, 2018
• 2017 Youth Experiences Survey Report (PDF)
• National Human Trafficking Resource Center
• Not For Sale
• Polaris Project
• Sex Trafficking and LGBTQ Youth
• Statewide Council on Human Trafficking Annual Report
• Staying Safe: Tips for LGBTQ Youth
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Blue Campaign
• U.S. Department of Justice
• Youth for Human Rights offers free curriculum and videos.
• Youth.gov

• Human Trafficking Awareness Training - Department of Homeland Security/Blue Campaign
• Safe and Healthy Schools Preventing Child Trafficking Webinar
• STARFISH (Sex Trafficking Awareness For Individual Strength and Hope) School Prevention Project: An educational tool developed by academics, researchers, social workers, and teachers, designed to raise awareness and provide education about the social injustice of sex trafficking in the United States. This is a free resource for school administrators and educators to utilize that provides a safe and age-appropriate way to educate middle school and high school students on the issue of sex trafficking.