Transit Employees Can Help Prevent Human Trafficking

Human trafficking can happen in any industry anywhere. Transit facilities are used by exploiters to transport their victims. Transit employees have the power to identify these victims, safely respond to, and report human trafficking incidents. To equip more employees with the knowledge they need, the nonprofit Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) is announcing the launch of a new free option for their Transit to Freedom human trafficking prevention training.

“Having a free option available means human trafficking prevention training is available to more transit employees who are interested in protecting their spaces and learning how the industry can identify human trafficking survivors,” according to a press release.

In addition to transit facilities and vehicles being used by traffickers to move their victims, survivors also report having taken public transit to leave their situation. Victims of both labor and sex trafficking have used transit during their exploitation and in exit attempts.

“Since transit systems are exploited by human traffickers, and because public transit is a way some victims escape their traffickers, it is critical for transit staff to know what to look for and how to respond,” Kirsten Foot, Ph.D., CEO and Executive Director at BEST, said. “Everyone who works in transit has a role to play in ending this awful exploitation. Learning the indicators and how to report potential situations of human trafficking effectively and safely is essential.”

Transit workers who are interested in the Transit to Freedom free training option can access it via the “Begin Training Now” link on BEST’s webpage for the transit industry. After registering on BEST’s training website, anyone can complete the training online at their own pace.

Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) is a nonprofit organization with the mission to educate employers to prevent human trafficking and create pathways to employment for survivors. For more information, visit www.bestalliance.org.