Washington Business Summer 2017 | Washington Business | Page 25

what’s working
identified 250 illicit store-front operations tied to human
trafficking. Each business has approximately 20 customers
per day, and if you work out the numbers that’s about $5
million a week just being spent at the businesses.
And, Talebi said, many of human traffickers operate in a
circuit, moving from truck stops to business fronts to other
locations that can span three to four states.
“That’s the reason truck drivers can make such a big
impact. They can play a huge role,” Talebi said.
the results
Who can forget the story of the Alaska Airlines flight attendant
reaching out to a young female passenger she thought was
exhibiting the signs of a human trafficking victim?
“The flight attendant spotted a man with a young girl and
something just didn’t seem right. She was able to use her
skills and intervene,” Clifton said, noting that when the plane
landed law enforcement was there to arrest the older man
accompanying the girl.
It’s proof the training — in whatever form it is done and
whoever is hosting it — is working, Clifton said.
But it’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Paris said she gets her data from the National Human
Trafficking Hotline, which is run by the Polaris Project
based out of Washington, D.C.
According to Polaris, truck drivers have now made close to
1,600 calls that resulted in roughly 500 cases and identified
nearly 1,000 victims, more than 300 of which were minors.
But, that’s just one slice of the data pie because it doesn’t
include 911 calls or other reporting, Paris said.
The addition of UPS to the ranks of TAT-trained truck
drivers across the nation is one step in increasing the
reporting of human trafficking.
“We’ve got drivers that are everywhere and
educating them about the potential warning signs,
we think, is the best resource we can provide to
offer tips to law enforcement.”
— Nicole Clifton, vice president, UPS Global Public Affairs
“I think President of UPS Freight Rich McArdle said it
best: ‘We’re uniquely positioned with eyes and ears on the
road,’” Clifton said. “We’ve got drivers that are everywhere
and educating them about the potential warning signs, we
think, is the best resource we can provide to offer tips to
law enforcement.”
UPS:
www.ups.com
Truckers Against Trafficking:
truckersagainsttrafficking.org
Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign:
dhs.gov/blue-campaign
Polaris Project:
polarisproject.org/sex-trafficking
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