Major sporting events like the Super Bowl, World Cup, and the Olympics call in fans from all over the world to celebrate and cheer on their favorite teams and athletes. Unfortunately, events like these are when human trafficking is at a hall time high! But, it begs the question; why is human trafficking increased during this time? Arguably, many tourists are looking for entertainment, sex, and even opportunities to make a profit from human trafficking.
Now that the Olympics are in Brazil this year, human trafficking and the exploitation of young girls and women are at an all-time high. In many poor countries, young women and children are lured into a life of sex and violence with promises of a “better life”. Most of these women who are “recruited” have one or all of the following:
- Experience violence and /or sexual abuse at home
- Have low levels of education
- Are young girls between the ages of 10 and 15
While human trafficking is a huge problem throughout the world, In Brazil, it’s considered an epidemic! According to Brazils National for the Prevention of Child Labor, it’s estimated that ½ million children are prostitutes . This epidemic goes way beyond the Olympics and needs to be eradicated. But, how can we stop human trafficking beyond the Olympic games .
There are many things you can do to stop human trafficking in your area and worldwide. In fact, now hotels, airlines, trucking companies, and even hair salons are training their staff how to spot victims of human trafficking. Whether you are at the Olympics, another major sporting event, or your hometown, there are steps that you can take right now to help end human trafficking now.
Educate yourself- Learning about human trafficking and the victims that are typically associated with this crime is the first step to learn about human trafficking.
Be aware- When you are at a major event, or even at an airport, keep an eye out for suspicious activity or young children who are traveling alone.
Call the proper authorities- If you are in the United States and suspect human trafficking is present in your area, immediately call 911 and let the local authorities do further investigation. You can also call the National Human Trafficking Resource Hotline at 1-888-373-7888
Offer assistance– While it’s imperative, that you call local officials, sometimes there are situations where assistance may be needed. It can be as simple as asking someone if they need help, or guiding them to safety. However, it’s highly recommended that you are a trained law official before you offer assistance. If you are still not sure, how to handle the situation, call the local authorities immediately.
Get Involved – When you witness human trafficking, it’s important that you break your silence and report any human trafficking rings, leaders of sex crimes, or any other crime that exploits young women and even men. Get involved with your local charities, and continue to educate yourself and raise awareness on human trafficking.
It only takes one person to make a difference, why can’t you be that person? With your help, you can bring thousands of people together to end human trafficking once and for all!