Human Trafficking

Since 2007, over 63,000 cases of potential human trafficking were reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline and found in all 50 states, D.C. and U.S. territories. Ohio is currently ranked 5th in the country for the number of cases that are reported to the hotline each year. IJPC knows that human trafficking happens in our community and we are working to create more modern day abolitionists through our education and advocacy programs.

Our Position:

IJPC opposes all forms of sex and labor trafficking. According to the Trafficking Victims Protections Act of 2000, human trafficking is defined as the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, debt bondage, sex acts, sale of body organs, or slavery.

We believe that human trafficking is a violation of a person’s human rights and an affront to the inherent dignity of every human being. Traffickers prey on the most vulnerable members of society, exploiting their circumstances and desire for a better life by tricking them with promises of safety, shelter, employment, or education.

Our Work: 

IJPC works to bring visibility to the issue of human trafficking by educating young people, elected officials, and the general public about the realities and needs of trafficked people in order to create systemic change. In addition, IJPC collaborates with our local Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition End Slavery Cincinnati to coordinate the region’s education and advocacy work.

• IJPC offers presentations on human trafficking integrating facts, local stories, and ways individuals can take action. The current focus of this work is to move the conversation beyond individual victimization to the systems that continue to allow the exploitation of vulnerable people.
  • To request a presentation, please fill out this form.
• IJPC’s advocacy work against human trafficking focuses on providing a consistent voice and public presence to push for policies to address the root causes and needs of human trafficking survivors.

Get Involved:

Keep learning and stay connected to ongoing efforts:

• Organize or arrange a speaker from IJPC.
• Sign up for anti-human trafficking specific emails from IJPC.

Plug in and show up:

• Check IJPC’s website and Facebook page for the latest meetings and events.
• Join the Public Education and Awareness Committee of End Slavery Cincinnati’s Anti-Human Trafficking Coalition. Email peacommittee.esc@gmail.com for dates and details.
• Attend the monthly End Slavery Cincinnati Coalition meeting to learn about more volunteer needs in the community. Email escoutreach@gmail.com for dates and details.

Take Action:

Clear Criminal Records of Labor Trafficking Survivors (Nov 2021)

Ohio’s Enact Expanding Human Trafficking Justice Act will allow more survivors of human trafficking, especially those who were labor trafficked, to have the ability to have their criminal records erased through a process called expungement. We know that many victims of trafficking are forced, frauded, or coerced into committing crimes on behalf of their trafficker. Tools like expungement are crucial to helping survivors start a new life by helping them access jobs, housing, and other opportunities. Sign IJPC’s petition in support of OH SB 183 by visiting https://bit.ly/IJPCrecords.

Resources:

• If you or someone you know needs help, call the confidential National Human Trafficking Hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-888-3737-888. Support is provided in more than 200 languages.
• If you are in the Greater Cincinnati area, you can call the Greater Cincinnati Human Trafficking Hotline at 513-800-1863 which is also 24 hours a day, confidential, and has options for tele-interpreters.
• IJPC published a messaging toolkit for the media and for the public. Use it to learn the Who, What, Where, Why, When and How to take action to end human trafficking.
• NEW MARCH 2022: Discover volunteer opportunities from nearly 30 organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area working to address human trafficking. (Last Updated March 2022)