Rejuvenating Women – Combating Human Trafficking in the Transportation Industry
In the transportation industry, the rising need to fight against human trafficking continues to be a growing need. Now more than ever, it is essential for companies in the industry to take a stand and spread awareness of human trafficking. At Sparrow Logistics, this means more than donating money but through providing hands-on help to victims and learning opportunities for carriers. Sparrow took this initiative and decided to partner with the local non-profit, Rejuventating Women whose mission is to provide hope and restoration to women who have been enslaved in human trafficking and exploitation. This partnership allows our team to learn more about recognizing and reporting human trafficking and how to stop traffickers from exploiting the transportation system.
Giving Back to those in need:
Rejuvenating women is a faith-based, nonprofit organization committed to providing hope and restoration to those enslaved in human trafficking. We raise awareness of human trafficking in the community as well as invest in the lives of girls and women who are living in our residential home as well as those participating in our day program. Our two-year, residential therapeutic program is free-of-charge to survivors and includes, but is not limited to individual and group therapy, case management, mentorship, legal services, tattoo branding removal, equine therapy, occupational therapy services, life-skills classes, and receive comprehensive medical care.
What is human trafficking and where does it occur?
Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain labor or commercial sex. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked. Human trafficking occurs in the transportation industry by traffickers using trains, buses, planes, and ships to transport victims, hiding them in plain sight. It is essential for the transportation employees to have their eyes and ears on the highway. In Nebraska, over 900 individuals are sold for sex every month and are seen to be utilizing the interconnected market, such as Interstate 1-80, to transport individuals across states. At Sparrow, our team is taking the initiative to spread light on the darkness in the industry by indicating the signs we should be looking for and how to seek help.
Signs of Human Trafficking:
Go from truck to truck or appear to be operating multiple trucks at once.
Show signs of fear, anxiety, tension, submission, and/or nervousness.
Show signs of physical abuse, restraint, and/or confinement.
Exhibit evidence of verbal threats, emotional abuse, and/or being treated in a demeaning way.
Show signs of malnourishment, poor hygiene, fatigue, sleep deprivation, untreated illness, injuries, and/or unusual behavior.
Lack freedom of movement or are constantly monitored.
Avoid eye contact and interaction with others.
Have no control over or possession of money or ID.
Have lower quality clothing compared to others in their party.
Have few or no personal items, such as no purses or wallets.
Appear to be with a significantly older “boyfriend” or in the company of older males.
A group of girls or boys appear to be traveling or stopping at a rest stop with an older female or male.
If you see something, say something!
Do not at any time attempt to confront a suspected trafficker or victim. Do not alert a victim of your suspicions.
When reporting a potential human trafficking incident, it is critical to include as many details about the suspected trafficker/victim as possible, such as:
Description of potentially involved vehicles (i.e., a trucking company logo, license plate numbers, Department of Transportation identification numbers).
• Physical description of the suspected trafficker and/or individual (i.e., height, weight, clothes, presence of tattoos or unique physical characteristics.
Call 9-1-1 for emergency situations—threats of violence, physical assault, emergency medical needs, etc. Follow your corporate protocol, such as notifying management and security.
Call 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) to report suspicious criminal activity to federal law enforcement. Highly trained specialists take reports from both the public and law enforcement agencies. Submit a tip at www.ice.gov/tips.
Get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).
How Sparrow is getting involved:
Sparrow Logistics partners with Rejuvenating Women, to shed light on how close to home human trafficking is. The Rejuvenating Women has programs established to encourage and support victims and survivors of human trafficking. Their programs and services include short-term housing, long-term housing, mentoring program, virtual case consultation, and the Restored Wings long-term program. Residents live in the recovery home for up to two years, rent-free while providing them with job training, trauma & addiction counseling, equine therapy, case management, medical care, legal services, and branding tattoo removal along with a multitude of other free services. The Rejuvenating Women team is providing necessary support to victims and survivors and Sparrow is grateful to partner together to further spread awareness in the transportation industry. Want to give? Donate today!
Sparrow Logistics is a freight brokerage headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska specializing in providing exceptional service to our clients, carriers, and employees with honesty and positivity. At Sparrow, we are redefining what a transportation broker is and that starts with coming through on everything we promise. We do everything in our power to deliver on every service and price to which we commit. Our culture allows our employees to thrive in their career paths and have fun along the way. Interested in getting connected with our team? Contact us today!