Secretary of State Antony Blinken said it’s time to learn even more about human trafficking during National Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
Human trafficking exists all over the United States and around the world, he said. He noted the practice is a stain on global society that often stays in the shadows, whether in the form of sex trafficking or forced labor, according to a State Department news release on Jan. 11.
“We all have a part to play in the fight to #EndHumanTrafficking, but awareness is needed to properly lend a hand. This Human Trafficking Awareness Day, take the time to expand what you know about human trafficking,” Blinken said in a tweet.
He said the United States has worked to shine an even brighter light on this crime, with January designated as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month since 2010, the release said. President Biden reaffirmed the commitment to protect and empower survivors of all forms of human trafficking, prosecute traffickers and end the practice.
The State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs recognizes Human Trafficking Prevention Month by highlighting the positive power of people-to-people exchanges to raise awareness and contribute to the end of trafficking. The bureau said it is a starting point for community-driven action, policies and best practices, and a stronger, more diverse global network against human trafficking.
More than 100 individuals, representing 50 countries with experience in combating human trafficking, completed International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) projects in cities across the United States in 2022, the release reported. Lasting relationships can develop through the two-week professional exchange programs.
Blinken honored five IVLP alumni at the 2022 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) launch ceremony for devoting their lives to supporting survivors of human trafficking, according to the release.
