The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) on Monday, January 9, 2023, launched its five-day annual Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative, an outreach effort to educate truck drivers, carriers, law enforcement, and the general public about human trafficking, the signs to look for, and what to do if you suspect someone is being trafficked.

“CVSA’s law enforcement and motor carrier communities are committed to bringing attention to human trafficking,” said CVSA President Maj. Chris Nordloh with the Texas Department of Public Safety. “Working together, we will put an end to this crime.”

This week, CVSA law enforcement jurisdictions in the U.S. will track human trafficking awareness and outreach activities and events, and submit that data to the Alliance. CVSA will gather the information and report the results this summer, like they did with 2022’s Human Traffic Awareness Initiative results.

In the months leading up to the awareness campaign, CVSA educated its membership and the general public on human trafficking through webinars, radio appearances, and videos and other online resources. The Alliance also worked with Truckers Against Trafficking to distribute wallet cards and window decals, which are still available upon request.

The Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative is part of CVSA’s Human Trafficking Prevention Program. The program seeks to reduce human trafficking throughout North America through coordinated enforcement and investigative and educational awareness measures within the commercial motor vehicle industry.

As a North American organization, Canada and Mexico will also be participating in CVSA’s 2023 Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative. In Canada, the initiative is scheduled for Feb. 20-24. In Mexico, it will be March 13-17.

CVSA selected this week for its 2023 Human Trafficking Awareness Initiative to align with U.S. National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, which is Jan. 11, and National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, which is January.

Source: FleetOwner