…and one thing you can do to help them.
May 25 is International Missing Children’s Day
While many missing children are never trafficked, the typical missing child is definitely a prime target for experienced traffickers. Often hungry or looking for a place to sleep, children become easy targets. Not mature enough to recognize a smooth-talking trafficker, they are easily led into “going for a ride” … and then the trouble starts.
Sex trafficked victims, both children and adults, are often photographed in hotel rooms and then promoted online by their traffickers.
But here’s where you can help.
When traveling, load the TrafficCam app ( available for Android and iPhone ) and use it to take pictures of the hotel rooms where you stay when you travel.
By utilizing a huge database of worldwide hotel pictures, a law enforcement organization can quickly scan the photos, hoping to find a matching lamp, a picture on a wall, or other distinguishing elements that will tip off an investigator as to the possible location of a victim being trafficked.
While it sounds wild, law enforcement has had success recovering missing children and adults using TrafficCam’s huge database of photos.
It’s one more easy thing you can do while traveling that might save the life of a trafficked person.
13 More articles you might find valuable:
Has your child’s school taken the first step?
10 Ways you can help end trafficking
Can you believe human zoos existed in this country?
What to tell your child before it’s too late
The worst thing your child won’t tell you
Make a friend – save a trafficking victim
Learning the facts about sexual violence – these stats are incredible
St. Josephine Bakhita – patron saint of recovering trafficking victims
Learn the dangerous language of human traffickers before your child does
Look beneath the surface – would you recognize someone being trafficked?
Three ways to protect kids online
WTH are these preteens thinking?
