Media Resources
We have created this page to assist reporters in their coverage of stories on Truckers Against Trafficking.
Facts about Truckers Against Trafficking
Mission: Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) is a 501(c) 3 that exists to educate, equip, empower and mobilize the trucking industry to combat human trafficking as part of their regular jobs.
Goals:
- Saturate trucking and related industries with TAT materials.
- Partner with law enforcement and government agencies to facilitate the investigation of human trafficking.
- Marshal the resources of our partners to combat this crime.
Making an Impact:
- Before TAT existed, only sporadic tips were being reported by the trucking industry, but now they have made over 2221 calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-3737-888), generating 606 cases of sex trafficking involving 1123 victims. In 2017, nearly half of the cases generated by truckers calls involved minors.
- National trucking organizations like the American Trucking Associations, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, and the Truckload Carriers Association have entered into partnership with TAT, along with all 50 state trucking associations, and large companies such as Ryder, Werner, J.B. Hunt, TA/Petro, UPS, Bridgestone, and more.
- TAT is building coalitions between general managers of truck stops/travel plazas and the law enforcement that investigate trafficking cases on their lots, (FBI, AG’s office, DHS, local PD, US Attorney, etc.) in order to close loopholes to traffickers who exploit industry businesses for criminal gain, and to mobilize a local response. To date, we have held 38 builds in 27 states.
- TAT works with the Iowa MVE/DOT, who created a statewide model in order to utilize/mobilize weigh stations, rest stops, and state patrol in helping to get the word out, train law enforcement, and gain entry points into the trucking industry. Thirty-nine states, and DC have now adopted the model in part or in whole. In addition, OH, KS, TX, WA, IL, CO, OK and AR have all adopted TAT training for their CDL holders, with additional states considering following suit
- Our Freedom Drivers Project (FDP), a unique, 48-foot mobile exhibit and museum, showcases information/training on domestic sex trafficking, the artifacts and stories of survivors and the actions of the trucking industry to fight this crime. The FDP is in high demand across the nation by legislators, anti-trafficking groups and trucking leaders, with over 35,391 people already walking through its doors at over 126 events in 37 states.
- TAT was awarded the Suzanne McDaniel Memorial Award for Public Awareness as part of the Congressional Victims Rights Caucus Awards in It was also chosen as one of the 100 Best Practices to fight human trafficking by the United Nations (GIFT). It won the Norma Hotaling Award for Demand Reduction, the Award of Distinction from the OK Human Trafficking Task Force, the Linking Arms Award from In Our Backyard, the Motor Transport Association of CT honored TAT with their Good Buddy Award, the American Trucking Associations awarded TAT with their Mike Russell Trucking Image Award, and most recently, TAT was co-winner of the Truck Safety Partner Award from the Michigan Trucking Association, and the recipient of the 2018 Humanitarianism Appreciation Award from Dow Chemical, presented by Dow Road Logistics.
Pay Attention to Language
There’s a methodology and a philosophy behind the language TAT uses. It’s specific and vetted with respected people within the movement, as well as a number of survivor advocates. We prefer this language be used whenever speaking/writing about those who have been trafficked:
Please do not use the words:
- Prostitute
- John
- Lot Lizard
- Rescue
Please do use:
- Prostituted person
- Survivor
- Overcomer
- Buyer
- Victim
- Recovered
Unless speaking about a specific victim/survivor, where you know the gender, age, etc., please keep the language gender neutral, ageless, and indicative that something was done to the victim … they aren’t what has been done to them. They aren’t prostitutes. They have been prostituted.
There is NO such thing as a “child prostitute” or a “teen prostitute.” Anyone under the age of 18 being sold for commercial sex is a victim of sex trafficking. (TVPA).
Additional Resources
Footage : You may use our three-minute training video trailer. However, the video may not be altered in any way. Credit must be given to Truckers Against Trafficking. Click here to view the video on DropBox and look for the Download option in the upper right corner.
TAT’s Programs: A link to the “What We Do” page, explaining our programs
You may use any of the below infographics. If you need assistance in downloading them, email us at: tat.truckers@gmail.com
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