Alright, truckers and road warriors, gather ’round! We’ve got some fantastic news hot off the press about the 2024 Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative (HTAI), courtesy of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA). Think of this like the ultimate crossover episode where commercial motor vehicle law enforcement, industry experts, and association aficionados from Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. team up to tackle a major villain: human trafficking.
CVSA’s Super Squad in Action
Every year, CVSA rallies its super squad for a five-day human trafficking awareness and outreach campaign. This is where the magic happens: they spread the word, train the troops, and gear up to spot and stop human trafficking in its tracks. They’ve got the playbook – what to look for and what to do when you spot a victim.
Heroic Feats Across Fifty-One Jurisdictions
Fifty-one jurisdictions threw their hats in the ring this year. And boy, did they get busy. Here’s a sneak peek at some of their heroic feats:
- Driver Downtime Detectives: Handing out human trafficking info to drivers during inspections – because who doesn’t love a little light reading while you wait?
- Passenger Patrol: Chatting up passengers in trucks to sniff out any signs of trafficking. Nothing escapes their keen eyes!
- Flyer Frenzy: Distributing flyers, wallet cards, and having heart-to-hearts with the public at truck stops, city halls, ports of entry, and pretty much anywhere with a door.
- Billboard Blitz: Flashing the human trafficking hotline on digital billboards – can’t miss it if it’s lit up like a Christmas tree!
- Social Media Storm: Blasting messages, videos, and infographics all over social media – hashtag heroics in action!
- Email Enlightenment: Including brief human trafficking info and links in new entrant and compliance review emails – because who reads long emails anyway?
- Training Triumph: Delivering human trafficking awareness and prevention training to motor carriers – knowledge is power, folks!
- Media Marvels: Issuing news releases, holding press conferences, and getting the word out through print and TV news – extra, extra, read all about it!
- Module Masters: Completing online learning modules on human trafficking – because learning never stops!
- Fashion Forward: Joining in on Wear Blue Day on Jan. 11 (#WearBlueDay), because fashion statements can save lives.
CVSA partnered with TAT (Truckers Against Trafficking) to provide top-notch training and materials. The stats are in, and they’re impressive: 38,158 wallet cards, 13,510 window decals, and 1,603 posters distributed. Not to mention, 334 outreach events, 204 presentations, 692 media contacts, and 107 social media posts. That’s a lot of people getting the 411 on human trafficking (CVSA) (Home) (JGLC Logistics).
Media Outreach and Public Service Announcements (PSAs)
And the cherry on top? CVSA teamed up with the Paramount/CBS network to create public service announcement (PSA) videos featuring a human trafficking survivor, a truck driver, and a commercial vehicle enforcement officer. These PSAs aired during commercial breaks on streaming platforms like Pluto TV, Paramount+, and local streaming service EYEQ Local, racking up 15,652,611 impressions. That’s a lot of eyeballs! (Home) (JGLC Logistics)!
From the kickoff on Nov. 15, 2023, to the end of March (Mexico’s HTAI month), CVSA’s Human Trafficking Prevention Program webpages saw 20,552 views. That’s some serious web traffic for a good cause (CVSA) (Ontario Trucking Association –).
Conclusion: Join the Fight Against Human Trafficking
CVSA’s Human Trafficking Prevention Program is on a mission to eradicate human trafficking through coordinated enforcement, investigations, and educational awareness.
So, if you suspect someone’s in a sticky situation or you’re the one needing help, here’s what you do:
- In the U.S., call 888-373-7888.
- In Canada, call 833-900-1010.
- In Mexico, call 800-5533-000.
Want to know what your local heroes are doing to fight human trafficking? Hit up the agency or department in charge of commercial motor vehicle safety in your area.
Stay safe out there, and remember, the fight against human trafficking is a team effort! Keep those eyes peeled and those hearts open. Together, we can make a difference!
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