Human Trafficking Increases during High Density Events

Washington, DC -- (SBWire) -- 01/26/2015 --As Super Bowl week commences, ECPAT-USA, a leading anti-trafficking organization, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), the sole national trade association representing all segments of the nation's hotel industry, today urged members of the travel and entertainment industry, as well as other local businesses and law enforcement, to increase their level of vigilance with respect to human trafficking.

Every year, 100,000 children are trafficked for the purposes of prostitution in the United States. Although those numbers are tragic in and of themselves, the incidence of trafficking is thought to rise even higher in connection with high density events like the Super Bowl. The only way to effectively turn the tide against traffickers is a coordinated and concerted effort involving law enforcement, non-profit organizations focused on the trafficking, government agencies, and businesses whose facilities or services are utilized by traffickers in perpetrating their terrible crimes.

ECPAT-USA and AH&LA have sought to engage in such a coordinated effort by jointly creating online training programs for hotel employees who may come into contact with traffickers and their victims on hotel properties. This training program has been utilized by thousands of hotel employees, and is a prime example of the types of collaboration needed in confronting trafficking.

More information regarding the online training program is available here: https://ahlei.org/Products/Online-Learning/The-Role-of-Hospitality-in-Preventing-and-Reacting-to-Child-Trafficking/

More information on child trafficking broadly is available here: www.ecpatusa.org

Serving the hospitality industry for more than a century, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) is the sole national association representing all segments of the 1.8 million-employee U.S. lodging industry, including hotel owners, REITs, chains, franchisees, management companies, independent properties, state hotel associations, and industry suppliers. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AH&LA provides focused advocacy, communications support, and educational resources for an industry generating $155.5 billion in annual sales from 4.9 million guestrooms.

About ECPAT-USA
ECPAT-USA is the leading policy organization in the United States seeking to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children through awareness, advocacy, policy, and legislation. ECPAT-USA is a member of the ECPAT International network, with offices in 78 countries. For more information visit www.ecpatusa.org.