World Cup host cities have developed action plans to combat human trafficking during the upcoming tournament.
What you probably already know: Human trafficking is attracting renewed attention with the FIFA World Cup right around the corner this June and July. Teams from 48 countries will participate in 104 matches in in Canada, Mexico and the U.S., bringing throngs of tourists to North America across 39 days in the largest World Cup ever. FIFA is requiring all 16 host cities (11 are in the U.S.) to create human rights actions plans around workers’ rights and human trafficking. The United Nations’ International Labor Organization says almost 28 million people across the globe have been victimized, with more than three in four sex trafficking victims women and girls.
Why it matters: Large crowds have the potential to increase human trafficking because of anonymity, strained law enforcement and increased use of short-term rentals and online platforms, though several studies have noted there’s no direct link between major events and trafficking. One host organization, the New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking, has teamed with UK-based It’s a Penalty to raise awareness and strengthen prevention strategies. In Seattle, the FWC26 Local Organizing committee has partnered with Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking to provide training and awareness resources, including for businesses to help frontline staff recognize indicators. Philadelphia has launched a “Freedom Starts Here” campaign in conjunction with the Department of Aviation to help train airport workers to spot signs of trafficking.
What it means: “Human trafficking does not discriminate. It can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender or background,” says New Jersey Coalition Vice President Gina Cavallo, a human trafficking survivor, victim advocate and author of A Survivor’s Secrets: Once Trafficked, now Free from Feelings of Worthlessness, Fear and Shame. “Planting seeds of kindness, showing compassion and believing survivors are the first steps to building trust.” One survivor, Olympic-caliber diver John-Michael Lander, recalls being exploited and trafficked throughout high school beginning at age 14 as he represented the U.S. in international competitions. “No one questioned it,” says Lander, a victim’s advocate who recounts his experience in his book, Surface Tension. “In my small rural town, people believed trafficking couldn’t happen.”
What happens next: Human trafficking is also a financial crime. Tech company Thomson Reuters has partnered with the Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists to call attention to the “observable red flags” of human trafficking networks. Indicators include seemingly innocuous items such as customers consulting notes to answer basic questions; near immediate deposits and withdrawals; or multiple individuals registered at the same address or linked to the same account. Warning signs everyone should pay attention to, especially hotel operators, include “unusual accommodation requests, such as deactivating security cameras, delivering keys through third parties, or inquiring about the presence of neighboring guests.” As Cavallo says, “No single organization or agency can address trafficking alone. We must work together.”
