Published: September 29, 2020
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s the importance of everyone doing their part to help one another. We’ve come to recognize the dedication and sacrifices made by those we often take for granted.
We’ve seen neighbourhoods and like-minded communities come together to take care of those in need; and we’ve learned that if people know how they can help, they will help. In that vein, we want to introduce you to a program that started in the United States and has since moved into Canada, called Truckers Against Trafficking. While human trafficking is a complex problem to solve, how we all can help is pretty simple. Be aware of the problem, and report any suspicions to the National Hotline.
Since human traffickers make great efforts to avoid detection by authorities, the actual number of victims isn’t known, but is suspected to be up to 40 million world-wide. In 2019 alone, the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline were alerted to incidents involving 22,326 survivors, and the latest statistics for Canada estimated 17,000 people living in conditions of modern slavery in 2016. While many cases in the United States involve victims from other countries, 93% of sex trafficking victims in Canada are citizens.
Sex trafficking isn’t the only component, but it’s the one that hits you in the gut. In 2018, more than half of the criminal human trafficking cases active in the US were sex trafficking cases involving only children.
Prior to the founding of Truckers Against Trafficking, calls to the hotline from those in the trucking industry were sporadic. Since then, the hotline has received more than 2,600 calls from our community, involving 1,278 victims.
So, how do you involved?
1. Visit their website to learn more
2. Watch the information video to learn more
3. Register and watch the training video
4. Download the wallet card
Most victims are being controlled and coerced. They are threatened with violence to themselves, the punishment of other victims, and the murder of their families. They are drugged, mind washed, and frequently moved between cities. Most will not risk trying to escape or causing a fuss in public. That’s why timely reporting of suspicions is really important.
The training is short, the action is simple, and a two minute phone call could save a life.
Ameri-Can Logistics Ltd. is a trucking company servicing shipping ports, railroad depots, and communities throughout North America. Operating 24/7/365 with continuous dispatch services, businesses have relied on Ameri-Can to distribute their products to buyers in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, for three decades.
