The brochure is available in English, Korean, and Mandarin Chinese

The issue of illegal brothels posing as legitimate massage parlors is tied to Polaris Project’s first moments as an organization.  Our founders, Katherine Chon and Derek Ellerman, became passionate about the issue of human trafficking after learning about one of these brothels in Rhode Island, which operated a couple blocks from their college apartments.  Over the past nine years, our organization has focused on combating all forms of human trafficking, but we’ve always maintained an expertise and understanding of this particular network. [Read more →]

Organizations and community groups from across the country have traveled to Arlington, TX to participate in the anti-trafficking awareness events surrounding the Super Bowl.  Throughout the week, events have been held to educate the community and to reach out to potential victims of human trafficking.

Because of the clandestine nature of this crime, we must bring awareness to community members, supply them with the resources to recognize potential trafficking situations, and understand how to increase public awareness.  Significantly, 40% of the calls received at the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) last year were from community members, and 16 percent of these calls were tips.  Since December 2007, more than 4,000 potential victims have been referenced in calls to the NHTRC. [Read more →]

I distinctly remember a time, a few years ago in 2007, when craigslist became a point of focus at meetings and events throughout the anti-trafficking movement.  Sitting in conferences or at task force meetings, it became a frequent occurrence for a presenter from law enforcement or the victims services field to talk about how victims of human trafficking were increasingly being advertised in the Erotic Services section of the website. [Read more →]

Each year, former President Clinton convenes a meeting of businesses, philanthropies, celebrities, and non-profits to promote ”good works” in the world.  Called the Clinton Global Initiative, it has to date been largely focused on the important cause of fighting the ravages of HIV/AIDS internationally. [Read more →]

CHICAGO – This week I was in Chicago for the launch of the End Demand Initiative (EDI), a coalition effort Polaris Project is  supporting.  Led by the indefatigable and innovative Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation (CAASE), this initiative stands to test in Illinois a model which could be a vanguard effort for the whole country. [Read more →]

Brothel in China

The U.S. Government is funding a bizarre study ostensibly being conducted on behalf of prostituted people. It is impossible to see how it is consistent with the U.S. Government’s anti-human trafficking policies and efforts. I have to thank Lisa Thompson, who spearheads the Salvation Army’s Initiative Against Sexual Trafficking in the U.S., for calling my attention to the issue. [Read more →]