About Us

About TraffickSTOP

With support from the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) has developed the TraffickSTOP program― a human trafficking identification and prevention curriculum for high school students.

NW3C has partnered with the International Associated of Chiefs of Police and the National Association of School Resource Officers to develop a toolkit with curriculum, materials, and resources that can be used by any school or youth-serving organization. Law enforcement representatives will be trained to deliver this curriculum in the selected schools.

The TraffickSTOP program uses a multidisciplinary approach. It encourages collaboration between school resource officers, law enforcement, social service providers, victim advocates, guidance counselors, students, and other community stakeholders. Each stakeholder offers different expertise and a different perspective. This approach provides students with well-rounded knowledge of human trafficking and a plethora of tools for prevention. Coupled with increased awareness, this can help students prevent victimization.

How it Works

Using a facilitator-guided approach, a group of students engage in active discussions and skill-building activities surrounding the issue of human trafficking. Team meetings provide students with a safe environment to explore complex topics including building healthy relationships, online safety, and information about human trafficking. Once they complete the program, students will have the opportunity to share what they’ve learned with the larger student body and school community.

Why It Matters

One part of the fight to STOP human trafficking is through prevention. TraffickSTOP prioritizes safety by providing students with the education they need to recognize the signs of human trafficking. Using SROs and other community partnerships exposes students to a number of different perspectives, tools, and resources. This model builds on existing self-reliance and youth empowerment to strengthen teen’s abilities to fight human trafficking by increasing their awareness.

The Impact of Human Trafficking

$150 Billion

Estimated amount of money made per year for traffickers worldwide1

40 million

Approximate number of victims worldwide, most of which are undetected2

Smartphone with arrow pointing upward

The use of social media platforms to recruit, groom, and advertise victims is increasing3

53%

Victims identified in federal human trafficking prosecutions that were under the age of 184

Anyone can be affected by human trafficking

Our Partners

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is the world’s largest and most influential professional association for police leaders. Since 1893, IACP has advanced leadership and professionalism in policing worldwide through timely research, programming, thought leadership, advocacy, and unparalleled training opportunities. With more than 31,000 members in over 165 countries, the IACP is uniquely positioned to leverage a global network of subject matter experts and resources to address the most pressing issues and challenges facing police professionals every day. IACP has remained at the forefront of progress and innovation in policing for over 125 years and continues to shape the future of policing by preparing current and emerging leaders to better serve their communities in meaningful ways.  

The National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) is dedicated to making schools and children safer by providing the highest quality training to school-based law enforcement officers. NASRO, the world’s leader in school-based policing, is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1991 for school-based law enforcement officers, school administrators and school security and/or safety professionals who work as partners to protect schools and their students, faculty, and staff members. With more than 3,000 NASRO members around the globe, NASRO takes great pride in being the first and most-recognized organization for law enforcement officers assigned to school communities. NASRO assists communities and school districts around the world that desire safer schools and effective community partnerships.

Acknowledgements

NW3C is grateful for participation from various pilot schools that implemented the program and provided constructive feedback:
Denbigh High School in Newport News, VA; Northeast and Southeast Lauderdale High Schools in Meridian, MS; High Road School in East Bridgewater, MA; and Mundelein High School in Mundelein, IL.

NW3C would like to specifically recognize lead facilitators and co-facilitators at those pilot schools:
Officer Aaron Watkins, David Reed, Deputy Kara Clark, Shantelle Roache, Officer Tallitha Connor, Officer James Schuldt, and Shea Needham.

Lastly, NW3C would like to thank subject matter experts that assisted with the development of various aspects of the TraffickSTOP program:
Erin Albright, Jane Anderson, Janet Brown, Kelly Burke, Chuck Cohen, Laura Cook, Brittany DuChaussee, Nathan Earl, Jim Emerson, Amy Fleischauer, Randy Foley, Jim Foley, Keisha Head, Robert Leazenby, Donna Lefebvre, Jeff Lybarger, Suleman Masood, Kristen McGeeney, Lara Mullin, Theresa Nietzel, Ashley Piel, Derek Prestridge, Moses Robinson, Melissa Snow, David Weiss, Kerri Williamson, and Erin Wirsing. NW3C would also like to thank representatives from the Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Health and Human Services, Department of Education, and other federal agencies for their assistance and support of this project.

References

1 International Labour Office. (2014). Profits and poverty: the economics of forced labour. ILO. Accessed August 11, 2021, available at https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—ed_norm/—declaration/documents/publication/wcms_243391.pdf

2 International Labour Organization., Walk Free Foundation., & International Organization for Migration. (2017). Global estimates of modern slavery: forced labour and forced marriage. Accessed August 11, 2021, available at https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/@dgreports/@dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_575479.pdf

3 Feehs & Currier Wheeler, 2020 Federal Human Trafficking Report, Human Trafficking Institute (2021).

4 United States Department of State. 2021 Trafficking in Persons Report. Accessed August 11, 2021, available at https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-trafficking-in-persons-report/

This project was supported by cooperative agreement 2020-VT-BX-K001, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions contained herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. References to specific agencies, companies, products, or services should not be considered an endorsement by the author(s) or the U.S. Department of Justice. Rather, the references are illustrations to supplement discussion of the issues. The Internet references cited in this publication were valid as of the date of publication. Given that URLs and websites are in constant flux, neither the author(s) nor the Office for Victims of Crime can vouch for their current validity.

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