Lifestyle
You can now play a role in the fight against human trafficking with a simple action while traveling. When you check into a hotel, taking a few pictures of your room and uploading them to a new app can aid investigators in their efforts to track down traffickers.
Traffickers often exploit children and women for sex by posting images of their victims taken inside hotel rooms. To tackle this issue, law enforcement officials have established a national database; however, pinpointing the exact locations where these crimes occur can be challenging. This is where the TraffickCam app steps in.
By uploading photos of a hotel room, users contribute to a database that law enforcement can reference. “These (images) become part of the resources that help track down where victims are being exploited,” said researcher and TraffickCam developer, Sarah Johnson, in an interview with a local news outlet.
Although many might believe human trafficking is a distant problem, it’s alarmingly prevalent in the United States. Between January and March of this year, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center reported 1,654 new cases, with 1,378 of those involving females and 546 involving minors. In 2015 alone, the organization identified 3,780 female victims of sex trafficking in the U.S.
“The key takeaway is that this issue exists in our country, and many people are unaware of it,” explained Lisa Green, executive director of a non-profit dedicated to combating the sexual exploitation of minors. “Many of these transactions take place in hotel rooms, hidden from plain sight.”
Since its launch on June 20, public support for the app has been tremendous, with TraffickCam being downloaded over 56,000 times and amassing more than 1.5 million hotel images worldwide. It’s free and compatible with iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, allowing users to take up to four photos of their room from various angles. The app accurately matches the hotel’s location with the user’s phone to ensure precise reporting.
The collaboration between researchers at a local university and a non-profit organization has made this app possible. “For the first time, anyone can contribute to making a difference,” said Initiative Leader Mark Reynolds. “There’s really nothing else out there that allows everyday people to help.”
You can download the TraffickCam app here. If you suspect human trafficking, please report it to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, which offers 24/7 assistance in over 200 languages.
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Summary
The TraffickCam app empowers travelers to help combat human trafficking by uploading photos of their hotel rooms, aiding law enforcement in tracking victims. With a growing user base and significant public support, this innovative tool is making a difference in the fight against this pressing issue.