AG Brnovich Teams Up with Truckers to Save Victims of Human Trafficking

PHOENIX - Attorney General Mark Brnovich, Truckers Against Trafficking, the Arizona Trucking Association, Albertsons, and Help Inc., are proud to announce a new partnership to help rescue victims of human trafficking. More than 25,000 rescue stickers will be placed on semi-trucks throughout Arizona to encourage victims of human trafficking to call or text for help. January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

The window sticker states, “Do You Need Help?” and lists the National Human Trafficking Hotline or victims can text “HELP” to 233-733 (Be Free). The Arizona Attorney General’s Office will donate the funds to help pay for the rescue stickers that will be placed on more than 25,000 semi-trucks traveling across the state. Arizona companies involved in Truckers Against Trafficking are: AIT Truck Driver Training, Albertsons Companies, American Institute of Trucking, Diamondback Systems, Doudell Trucking, Diamond Tank Lines, Empire Transport, Frontier Insurance Adjusters, HDS Truck Driving Institute, INTL XS Program Managers, J&L Transportation Inc., Knight Transportation, McKee Foods, McLane Foods Service, Minero Trucking, Phoenix Truck Driving Institute, Roehl Transport, Inc., SFS Trucking, Inc., Southwest Truck Driver Training, Swift Transportation, Transportaciones El Angel LLC, UPS, W.W.Williams Co., Werner Enterprises, Western Refining, Western Transport Logistics, Youngs Market Company, Yuma Truck Driving School, and Z Trucking LLC.

“Our goal is to reach out to victims of human trafficking and hopefully give them the courage to call or text for help,” said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. “Truckers are on the front lines of this global epidemic. They are our eyes and ears on Arizona highways and if just one rescue sticker or observant driver helps save a life, then we've made a difference."

Truckers Against Trafficking partners with law enforcement agencies across the country to train truckers to recognize and report instances of human trafficking. TAT also operates The Freedom Drivers Project, the first-of-its-kind mobile exhibit, to help educate the public and members of the trucking industry about the realities of human trafficking and how the trucking industry is combating it.

"In order to effectively combat human trafficking, each sector of society must play a part,” said Kylla Lanier, Deputy Director of Truckers Against Trafficking. “At any given time there are more truck drivers out on the roads than there are law enforcement officers. Truck drivers are trained to be vigilant and along with truck stop employees can find themselves intersecting with victims of human trafficking. Therefore, the trucking industry is critical in this fight.”

“Our members have embraced Truckers Against Trafficking since its inception,” said Arizona Trucking Association President and CEO Tony Bradley. “The partnership between law enforcement and the trucking industry is critical to fighting these horrific crimes and we are honored to be a part of it."

In just the first six months of 2017, the National Human Trafficking Hotline received over 200 tips about human trafficking incidents in Arizona.  That’s more than 1 call per day in Arizona alone. The hotline received a total of more than 150,000 tips from across the country.

In 2015, Attorney General Brnovich created a unit dedicated solely to combating sexual exploitation and human trafficking in Arizona. Attorneys have investigated more than 75 defendants with ties to sex trafficking and currently have approximately 30 open cases involving sexual exploitation of minors.

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