If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.

For immediate assistance, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline on 1-888-373-7888.

You can reach the Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in more than 200 languages. All calls are confidential and answered live by highly trained Anti-Trafficking Hotline Advocates. 

Text the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 233733. Message and data rates may apply.

Chat the National Human Trafficking Hotline via Human Trafficking Hotline Web Chat | National Human Trafficking Hotline 

For more information about how to report, visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org/en/report-trafficking 

Discreet and Anonymous Reporting 

Reports can be made anonymously, confidentially  and discreetly. Your identity does not have to be disclosed, ensuring your privacy and protection. 

Guidance for Victims – Safety First 

Your safety is the top priority. If you think someone might be monitoring your internet use or emails, or if you feel unsafe online, please consider your personal safety before reaching out to an Anti-Trafficking Hotline Advocate. 

Guidance for Observers – Stay Safe 

Stay Safe: Your safety and the safety of potential victims come first. Avoid confronting traffickers or victims directly, as this could make the situation more dangerous. 

Take Notes: If you notice something concerning, write down details like descriptions, behaviors, locations, and times, but do not get involved directly. 

Covenant House New Orleans 

A homeless shelter for youth ages 16-22, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.   

Call 504-584-1111 for further information or visit https://www.covenanthousenola.org/ 

National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) 

NCMEC works with families, victims, private industry, law enforcement, and the public to assist with preventing child abductions, recovering missing children, and providing services to deter and combat child sexual exploitation. 

For further information visit https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow 

1-800-843-5678 (24 hour helpline) 

Child sexual exploitation can be reported via the Cyber Tipline www.cybertipline.org 1-800-THE-LOST 

Human trafficking involves exploiting a person through force, fraud or coercion for profit.

50 million people are estimated to be trapped in human trafficking today globally, a 10 million increase since 2016.

It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality.

Different types of human trafficking include:

Yes, it’s happening here, across the United States, in: 

The latest Louisiana Annual Trafficking Data report, published in 2024 reveals the prevalence of human trafficking across the state.

A total of 37 agencies (over half of agencies contacted) submitted data from 2023 for the report. The report is based on submitted data for 1,615 confirmed and suspected victims of human trafficking.

Victims of trafficking can be found in a variety of situations.

You can play a role in recognizing potential patterns and behaviors of human trafficking.

Reporting concerns is the first step in identifying human trafficking in your community and can prevent individuals being recruited into exploitative situations.

Please note: Not all the information listed above is present in all situations involving trafficking.  While the presence or absence of these observations does not confirm or rule out human trafficking, their presence should prompt reporting to trained professionals or law enforcement immediately.

There are plenty of misconceptions about human trafficking.

By myth-busting and sharing the truth, people can have a better understanding of what it is and how to spot it.

This knowledge can empower communities and help protect people affected by human trafficking.

For more information about why we run campaigns during major sporting events (MSEs), please see the section ‘Major Sporting Events: An Opportunity for Change’

It’s a Penalty: Harnessing the Power of Sport to Combat Human Trafficking

It’s a Penalty leverages major sporting events to drive global action against abuse, exploitation, and trafficking. From January through February 2025, coinciding with the Super Bowl in New Orleans, we will launch our 8th Super Bowl Prevention Campaign. This multi-platform initiative aims to raise awareness about human trafficking, educate the public on recognizing the signs, and provide information on how to report suspected cases and support survivors.

The campaign will focus on key locations and touchpoints where awareness materials and films will reach the public. This includes environments identified as being at risk of exposure to human trafficking., including:

By addressing these high-risk areas, It’s a Penalty seeks to empower individuals, communities, and businesses to play a crucial role in preventing human trafficking and supporting survivors not only during one of the world’s largest sporting events but throughout the year.

Partnership and Collaboration

To achieve our mission of preventing abuse, exploitation, and trafficking, It’s a Penalty works closely with a wide range of strategic stakeholders, including: High-profile athletes, leaders in the travel, hospitality, and tourism industries, sporting governing bodies and host committees, and NGOs operating on the ground in host cities.

Our partnerships are aligned with a shared goal: to prevent human trafficking and create lasting impact.

Through It’s a Penalty events, such as campaign press launches, volunteers outreaches and partner training we bring together key actors from various sectors, fostering collaboration and building strong networks. These connections help ensure effective prevention efforts and leave a positive legacy of cross-sector relationships dedicated to preventing human trafficking.

The campaign film features American Football players & professionals, who have joined forces to raise awareness about human trafficking to equip, educate, and inspire change.

Available on YouTube from Tuesday 28th January 2025 9am CST.

It’s a Penalty harnesses the power of sport to raise awareness and educate about human trafficking and exploitation in order to prevent it.

Human trafficking is the fastest growing illegal business in the world today affecting 50 million people.  It exists everywhere and no city is exempt.  Major sporting events like the Super Bowl, Olympics & Paralympics, and FIFA World Cup present unique opportunities to unite communities, collaborate across sectors, and raise awareness about these pervasive issues in order to prevent them and to leave a positive legacy. With large crowds and increased visibility, these events are powerful platforms to educate and inspire action against exploitation while addressing the vulnerabilities that traffickers often exploit.

The heightened demand for commercial sex during such events can lead to an uptick in sex trafficking activities. Labor trafficking is also a significant concern. The construction of infrastructure for events, such as stadiums and hotels, often involves exploitative practices, including forced labor and unsafe working conditions. Migrant workers are particularly vulnerable, as seen in reports from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where workers faced discrimination, wage theft, and overwork. Additionally, during the events themselves, industries like hospitality and transportation may rely on exploited labor to meet increased demand

While these events don’t create trafficking issues outright, they can amplify existing patterns and displace them geographically. Research shows that the influx of visitors often shifts trafficking activities rather than significantly increasing their overall prevalence. For organizations, this heightened attention creates an opportunity to highlight the year-round nature of trafficking and to push for systemic change.

Join #TEAMUP2025 and be part of the movement to prevent human trafficking.

Host a Super Bowl party at work or home and raise funds for It’s a Penalty. Donations will contribute to preventing human trafficking, and creating a world free from exploitation. To join the movement, click here.

Thank you to our partners!