Modern human trafficking in America isn’t something that comes up in regular conversations with CDL driver recruiters – but it should be. Louie Greek, the Training Specialist for Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), stopped by DriverReach Chats to talk with Jeremy about TAT’s mission, how everyday people can make a difference, and resources available for drivers and fleets to help recognize and stop human trafficking.
TAT is a nonprofit organization that partners with trucking and transportation industries, as well as law enforcement, to educate on human trafficking – the modern day slavery ring that exists today along American roadways. Louie is a Training Specialist for TAT, which means he works directly with law enforcement to help train motor vehicle enforcements on how to investigate and identify human trafficking, as well as with state agencies to bring together private and public sectors of trucking to close gaps against potential traffickers.
TAT’s mission is to educate, equip, and empower members of the trucking and transportation industries to recognize the signs of human trafficking and to be an extra set of eyes for recovering and helping victims. Over the last few months, TAT – like most organizations – has had to shift operations to deal with the repercussions of COVID-19, but that doesn’t mean that things have slowed down. In fact, TAT has been able to quickly adapt to this new normal and is dedicated to finding new ways the transportation industry can be a key player and ally in fighting this issue.
The TAT team just finished a series called C-19 Impact. They have had both trucking and human trafficking thought leaders on to discuss different trends they’re seeing and ways that key market industries can respond properly to these issues. There are a few ways all of us (men and women on the street) can help recognize the signs of human trafficking and raise awareness of this modern-day form of slavery:
- With more people thrust into vulnerable situations due to job loss, traffickers are more likely to exploit and target this population. Keep an eye out for increased trafficking activities during the COVID-19 fallout.
- There are traffickers out there that lure and exploit children off the internet through social media, gaming, and other channels. As more children are spending time indoors, parents should educate themselves and their children about red flags and indicators of potential trafficking.
- Anyone (CDL drivers, recruiters, etc.) can become TAT trained to recognize the signs of human trafficking and notify authorities if something happens. Just go to the TAT website, download educational resources, and take the training course.
- It’s possible to raise awareness in your community as well. Louie just ran 150 miles in the month of July to raise awareness raised over $3,500 to combat human trafficking.
TAT makes it easy for recruiters and fleet managers to provide this training for drivers, recruiters, and other personnel. Managers can request DVDs, posters, and wallet cards with hotline information for drivers on the road. Additionally, the TAT App for Android and iPhone that has all the resources and training materials available for drivers at the touch of a button. Many carriers and recruiters are including anti-trafficking courses and training as part of their onboarding materials, which TAT can also provide on their website.
While Louie and the TAT team typically travel to different speaking engagements and meetings around the country, the shift to digital means that TAT thought leaders are available for more online and virtual engagements. If you’d like a member of the TAT team to speak at your next digital meeting or event, reach out now!
You can also help support the tremendous work Louie and team are doing in the fight against human trafficking by:
- Watching the COVID-19 dispatch series for more information
- Downloading the TAT mobile app to stay informed on human trafficking and logistics
- Calling the National Human Trafficking hotline (1-888-373-7888) if you see anything suspicious
Stay up to date on CDL trucking trends! Be sure to check out the DriverReach blog or follow us on LinkedIn for other relevant articles and head over to our webinars page for an up-to-date list of upcoming events and on-demand recordings.
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