To further its commitment to ending human trafficking, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced a new partnership between the DHS Blue Campaign and the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights. Human trafficking is a modern-day form of slavery involving the illegal trade of people for exploitation or commercial gain.
Each year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked from countries around the world, including the US. DHS’ Blue Campaign leverages partnerships with law enforcement, government agencies, and private organizations to increase detection and investigation of human trafficking, and to protect victims by bringing suspected traffickers to justice.
“The DHS Blue Campaign is pleased to partner with the District in the fight against human trafficking,” said DHS Blue Campaign Chair Maria Odom. “A partnership like this is important because no one can fight human trafficking alone. Enabling citizens to recognize and report this heinous crime will help to identify and rescue victims and bring perpetrators to justice.”
DHS stated that through this partnership, the District of Columbia will post Blue Campaign awareness materials throughout the Metro system to raise awareness of human trafficking. Blue Campaign tools and resources, including posters, will also be placed at relevant District agency offices to help employees identify and recognize indicators of human trafficking. These materials will also be made available for interested local businesses and the general public to provide information on how to report suspected cases of human trafficking and to help potential victims seek support.
President Barak Obama has declared January to be National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Throughout January, the DHS Blue Campaign will highlight the Department’s work to end human trafficking and continue to bring awareness to this terrible crime.
For more information, visit www.dhs.gov/bluecampaign.
