January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, a time for raising awareness and taking action against this human rights abuse. This month, the nonprofit Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) has announced the launch of a new free option for their Flights to Freedom human trafficking prevention training for employees who work in airports. For the first time, any aviation employer can begin using BEST’s 30 minute, online, video-based Flights to Freedom training for free, and the training can easily be accessed from BEST’s website.
This announcement is making it easier than ever for aviation professionals, and anyone who works at an airport, to learn how to recognize the indicators of human trafficking so they can make a difference by spotting and reporting potential human trafficking situations in airport facilities.
The aviation industry sees a high volume of travelers passing through airports each day. Unfortunately, some of those travelers are human traffickers who are exploiting victims by moving them to different cities and states. That’s why employees working in airports play a crucial role in identifying and reporting potential human trafficking cases. By providing human trafficking awareness training that was specifically developed for the airline industry, BEST is equipping more airport employees with the knowledge and tools they need to be able to combat this serious issue.
“Human trafficking is a global problem that affects many industries, including the aviation sector. By providing this training, BEST is addressing the specific vulnerabilities and risks faced in airports and businesses working in the airline industry,” explains Kirsten Foot, Ph.D., CEO and Executive Director for BEST. “When aviation employees learn the indicators of human trafficking, they can play a critical role in identifying and reporting human trafficking instances, which ultimately helps more people be able to escape exploitation.”