It's a Penalty – Ending abuse, exploitation and human trafficking on a global scale.

Raising awareness

Through global campaigns during major sporting events

Consultancy

Helping your business become a leader in the fight against exploitation

Educating students and nurturing activism

Through our Student Ambassador University Programme

Advocating for legal reform

In the Commonwealth to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse

50 Million People

people are estimated to be in modern slavery

(Source: ILO)

71%

of trafficking victims around the world are women and girls

(Source: ILO)

1/3

nearly one third of children account for identified trafficking victims globally

(Source: UNICEF & ICAT)

$236 Billion

is what human trafficking earns globally a year for traffickers

(Source: ILO)

TRIPLED

The share of children among detected trafficking victims has tripled, while the share of boys has increased five times over the past 15 years.

(Source: UNODC Human Trafficking FAQs)

It’s a Penalty collaboratively combats human trafficking, exploitation, and abuse using sport’s unifying power to drive local and global educational campaigns during significant sporting events. We customise these campaigns for each host location, achieving worldwide reach averaging 180 million people.

Our multifaceted approach includes collaboration with sectors like sports, travel, tourism, law enforcement, and NGOs. Having so far campaigned during 20 Major Sporting Events and the Liam Neeson ‘What is Human Trafficking’ campaign, It’s a Penalty, together with partners, has facilitated the protection of over 17,028 survivors of abuse, exploitation and trafficking, and prevented thousands more from being victimised.

Parallel to our campaigns, It’s a Penalty provides consultancy to businesses in order to address modern slavery risks and be leaders in preventing exploitation, as well as running two core programs: CommonProtect advocates for legal reform in Commonwealth countries, the Student Ambassador Programme empowers UK university students to combat exploitation.

Through education, awareness, and intervention, It’s a Penalty aims for a world free from exploitation and abuse.

Campaign 2023 KeepKidsSafe during the Women's World Cup

View our Bi-Annual Impact Report for 2022-2023 (PDF)

Usain Bolt

Olympic and World Champion

Mary Earps

England Football Player

Maxx Crosby

American Football Defense End for the Las Vegas Raiders

Sandra Douglass Morgan

President of the Las Vegas Raiders

Josh Jacobs

American Football Running Back for the Las Vegas Raiders

Liam Neeson

Actor

Student Activists

Our Student Ambassador Programme works with UK university students. We provide training on the different types, vulnerabilities and complexities of modern slavery and support students to carry out projects that make a difference.

LEARN MORE

Advocating for legal reform

Through our programme Commonprotect, we advocate for legal reform in order to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) throughout the Commonwealth.

LEARN MORE

Consultancy

We help businesses and large corporations implement best-practise tools that go beyond compliance. From supply chain training to survivor-centred policies, we support ethical action at every level. For more information click below to email us:

EMAIL US

Helping end abuse, exploitation and human trafficking.

VIEW OUR STRATEGY

2024 Paris Olympics & Paralympics Campaign

Las Vegas ranks in the top 10 states for trafficked and exploited youth. On January 29, 2024, It's a Penalty hosted its 7th Super Bowl campaign launch and press event at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.

83% of respondents to a post-campaign survey INCREASED AWARENESS of human trafficking and exploitation.

82% of respondents to a post-campaign survey INCREASED KNOWLEDGE of how to find help and report suspected cases.

76% of respondents to a post-campaign survey INCREASED CONFIDENCE and likeliness to report suspected cases of human trafficking and exploitation.

263.8 MILLION Total estimated reach of all campaign distribution channels. REACH Number of people potentially reached via the campaign through July - September 2024.

2024 Las Vegas Super Bowl Campaign

Las Vegas ranks in the top 10 states for trafficked and exploited youth. On January 29, 2024, It's a Penalty hosted its 7th Super Bowl campaign launch and press event at Caesars Palace, Las Vegas.

13 juvenile victims of sex trafficking recovered week of February 11 by the LVMPD

15 missing children from the Las Vegas area recovered thanks to everyone's efforts

153.8 M We reached a total combined audience of over 153.8 million people with campaign media coverage

2023 Australia /NZ Women's World Cup

1 in 8 children globally are sexually abused or exploited before the age of 18. On 6th July 2023 in Sydney, we launched our Keep Kids Safe Campaign ahead of the Women’s World Cup.

149,000 people were reached through our campaign in communities in 6 Pacific countries

3.7 million people were reached via airports

93% of people reported an increased awareness of abuse and exploitation of children, particularly in sports due to the campaign

2022 Qatar World Cup - digital campaign

It's a Penalty and STOP THE TRAFFIK came together to run a digital campaign geotargeting football fans attending the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

158,656 unique link clicks to the digital campaign

1,044,357 reach

68% confirmed they will start taking preventative action as a result of the campaign

CommonProtect - legal reform in the Commonwealth

A review of the legal systems protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse across the Commonwealth.

It is estimated that one in eight children are sexually abused worldwide, which amounts to 12.7% of the world’s children - many of whom live in the Commonwealth.

Only 6 countries have criminalised child marriage sufficiently.

18 out of the 21 countries analysed have not sufficiently addressed all forms of human trafficking.