TAMPA, Fla. — Attorneys general from across the country are now questioning the effectiveness of the National Human Trafficking Hotline, a resource for victims, survivors and the public.
Attorney General Ashley Moodyjoined 35 other attorneys general in calling on Congress to look further into the National Human Trafficking Hotline, which is federally funded and operated by the nonprofit Polaris.
“The mission of the National Human Trafficking Hotline is a valiant one: forward tips to authorities who may use the information to put an end to a trafficking victim’s suffering. Unfortunately, Polaris is failing to follow this important standard yet continues to receive large amounts of federal funding. I’m urging Congressional leaders to get to the bottom of this, so our law enforcement authorities can be better equipped with the knowledge needed to stop this atrocious crime," Moody said in a statement.
I-TEAM | Human Trafficking coverage
Theletter to Congress stated that unless an adult victim calls the hotline and gives consent, they recently learned those tips don't make it to law enforcement.
The most recent data available shows that in 2021, the National Human Trafficking Hotline received 2,894 tips from Florida, the third-highest number in the country. Less than half of those tips, 1,146, were from victims of survivors.
Kevin Malone, President and CEO of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT), based in Tampa, says the attorneys general and the hotline both have "meaningful and important" positions.
“Polaris is definitely more focused on victim services and protecting victims and I think AG Moody is more from a law enforcement perspective, let’s go after the bad guys, the traffickers, the pimps and possibly the johns," Malone said.
In a statement, Polaris told the I-Team the concerns are based on a "misunderstanding of the mission" of the hotline and that mission is to assist victims in communicating with service providers, meaning they "must have the trust of the victims and survivors" they serve.
The hotline reports all tips involving children.
The letter to Congress from dozens of attorneys general also said, "Possibly more alarming, some states are reporting that they receive tips from the Hotline a month, sometimes two months, after a tip of suspected trafficking is reported to Polaris."
Malone said he relies on local resources to cut down on any delay.
“My challenge is to all AGs, all state AGs, is to establish a hotline for your own state, with major cities and towns having a connection to it," Malone said. “We can do a much better job. I just don’t think one hotline that Polaris — is enough. It’s not enough for all of the human trafficking situations that are occurring daily, nightly, all over the United States.”
Moody's office told the I-Team she's worked with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to redirect human trafficking tips to a state hotline that reports directly to local law enforcement: 1-855-FLA-SAFE.
Still, the letter to Congress ends by saying, "We cannot afford to lose the benefits of this federal-state partnership to end trafficking."
Polaris CEO Catherine Chen's Full Statement:
"Unfortunately, the concerns raised are based on a misunderstanding of the mission of the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The Trafficking Hotline is not primarily a law enforcement tip line but rather is authorized by Congress and funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service to “assist victims of severe forms of trafficking in persons [law.cornell.edu] in communicating with service providers.”
To serve this mission, the Trafficking Hotline must have the trust of victims and survivors we serve. To that end, the Trafficking Hotline does not report their situations to law enforcement without their consent. Instead, the Trafficking Hotline works with victims to determine what they need to begin to break free and rebuild their lives. This is important because traffickers take consent, choice, and freedom away from victims. To effectively support survivors is to return to them control over their own lives and choices. When and if victims and survivors choose to involve law enforcement, the Trafficking Hotline supports the process every step of the way.
The Hotline is a mandated reporter, and all situations involving abuse, neglect and trafficking of children are reported to law enforcement, as are situations where immediate and escalating violence can be heard or observed.
Polaris is deeply committed to ensuring traffickers are held accountable and are stopped from being able to continue to victimize people. We actively partner with hundreds of law enforcement agencies all over the country to ensure countless traffickers are arrested and justice is served.
We look forward to continuing to engage our law enforcement partners, including the attorneys general’ offices, as well as thousands of social service agencies, survivor leaders, and community leaders who we partner with, to ensure the Trafficking Hotline fulfills its mission to provide a safe and trusted place for victims and survivors to get connected to help."
If you suspect human trafficking, AG Moody's office encourages Floridians to call 855-FLA-SAFE. If you suspect a child is a victim, the Florida Abuse Hotline is 1-800-96-ABUSE. You can also call local law enforcement.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ATTORNEYS GENERAL by ABC Action News on Scribd
