Don’t just watch the game—be part of the change! Host a Super Bowl party at work or home, and raise awareness and educate about human trafficking.​ Donations will contribute to preventing human trafficking, and creating a world free from exploitation.

During the Super Bowl in New Orleans, we’ll launch our 8th annual Super Bowl Prevention Campaign. This 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. Major sporting events like the Super Bowl bring large crowds and increased visibility, making them powerful opportunities to raise awareness, about human trafficking in order to prevent it and to leave a positive legacy.

Human trafficking thrives in silence and preventing it takes teamwork.

Don’t just cheer for your team, TEAM UP to prevent human trafficking #TEAMUP2025

Since 2014, It’s a Penalty has been working in collaboration to disrupt the fastest growing and second largest criminal industry in the world: human trafficking and exploitation.

Over the last 10 years, in collaboration with partners in the travel and tourism industries, local NGOs, law enforcement and sporting organizations, here are some of our main achievements:

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.

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.