In today’s world, there’s a straightforward way you can contribute to the fight against human trafficking. Whenever you check into a hotel during your travels, simply take a few photos of your room and upload them to an app designed for this very purpose. This tool is used by investigators to track down traffickers and locate victims.
Human traffickers often exploit children and women for sex, using images taken from hotel rooms to advertise their victims online. While law enforcement agencies have established a national database to combat this issue, pinpointing the specific hotels involved can be quite challenging.
Introducing the TraffickCam App
Enter the TraffickCam app. This innovative application allows users to upload photos of hotel rooms, which are then analyzed against the national database. As Abby Turner, a researcher from Washington University and a developer of TraffickCam, explained, “These images become a vital resource law enforcement can utilize to trace where victims are being exploited.”
Many people may not realize that human trafficking is a serious issue right here in the United States. From January to March of this year alone, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center reported 1,654 new cases of human trafficking. Alarmingly, 1,378 of these involved women, and 546 were minors. In 2015, the organization identified 3,780 female victims of sex trafficking within the U.S. Carol Johnson, the director of a non-profit focused on eradicating child sexual exploitation, noted, “The truth is, this is happening in America, and often in places we least expect. Many of these transactions take place in hotel rooms.”
Positive Response and Impact
The response to the TraffickCam app has been overwhelmingly positive since its launch on June 20. The app has been downloaded over 56,000 times and boasts more than 1.5 million hotel images from around the globe. It’s free to use and available for both iPhone and Android devices. Users can capture up to four images of their room from varied angles. The app ensures accuracy by matching your location with the hotel’s address, making it most effective to use right after checking in.
Developed through collaboration between researchers at Washington University and the Exchange Initiative, a non-profit dedicated to ending human trafficking, the app empowers everyone to make a difference. As Molly Carter, a principal at the Exchange Initiative, said, “For the first time, anyone can actively participate in the fight against trafficking.”
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Conclusion
In summary, by using the TraffickCam app, you’re not just taking a photo; you’re contributing to a larger movement to end human trafficking. Your simple action can help bring awareness and assist law enforcement in their crucial work.
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