Human Trafficking Awareness and Response - Hospitality 🌎

As an employee in the hospitality industry, you might be able to identify signs of human trafficking in your workplace. By being able to recognize common signs of sex trafficking, you can be better prepared to report suspicious activity to the authorities and potentially save someone’s life. This topic is meant to act as an overview of some of the most common signs of sex trafficking. However, it’s important to note that these signs, especially on their own, may not always be an indicator of sex trafficking.

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1. A sign of human trafficking could be a guest(s) checking in with few to no personal items, like identification, mobile phone, or a bag.

2. A sign of human trafficking could be a guest(s) paying for their room with cash or a preloaded credit card.

3. A sign of human trafficking could be a guest(s) who checks-in with odd requests regarding their stay or room or who behaves suspiciously during their stay.

   Examples: Reserves multiple rooms, rents room by the hour/less than a day/long-term, rents a room with fewer beds than patrons, asks for a view of the parking lot or a room near an exit, rent porn when children are staying in the room, doesn’t stay in the room or leaves frequently/at odd hours, uses side entrances instead of lobby, parks strangely, requests lots of towels, etc. but doesn’t want housekeeping, loiters in the hallway or parking lot, leaves when visitors arrive, leaves minors alone.

4. A sign of human trafficking could be a guest(s) refusing cleaning services, especially for multiple days, or using the ‘do not disturb’ sign consistently.

5. A sign of a human trafficking victim could be a guest(s) who avoids eye contact, has someone else speak for them, speaks in a way that sounds rehearsed or difficult, or appears scared or anxious.

6. A sign of a human trafficking victim could be a guest(s) who doesn’t seem to be in control of their money, mobile phone, identification, or movements.

7. Pay attention to what guests say, especially when checking in, and listen for anything that may be suspicious or could indicate human trafficking.

   Examples: Mention not getting paid or being paid very little, verbal threats, talking about traveling a lot, mentions of “sugar daddy or momma”

8. If cleaning a room, pay attention to the items in it that are visible and out in the open. If there are excessive amounts of cash, identifications, credit cards, drugs, alcohol, pornography, phones, computers, technology, or sex-related items, it could be a sign of human trafficking.

9. A sign of human trafficking could be a noticeable age difference between a guest(s) and the person(s) they are traveling with.

10. Watch for guests who seem deprived of basic needs, like food, water, sleep, hygiene, or medical care, or who show signs of addiction, physical injury, trauma, self-harm, abuse, or confinement. These could be indicators of human trafficking.

    Examples: Look underfed or tired, scars, burns, branding, untreated injuries, strange tattoos

11. Watch for guests who appear to dress inappropriately for their age or the weather or who behave in a way that doesn’t appear to match their age. These could be indicators of human trafficking.

    Examples: Make-up, no coat, expensive clothing, paying bills, acting older than they seem

12. Be aware of suspicious activities in the restaurant or bar area that could indicate human trafficking, like guests asking for food or money, taking cash or receipts from tables, loitering, entertaining someone they didn’t arrive with, etc.

13. Be aware that there is no single sign of human trafficking. Just because you identify a sign, it doesn’t necessarily mean human trafficking is taking place.

In this topic, we’ll go over what to do if you suspect that guests at your workplace are involved in human trafficking. While it’s important to recognize the signs and report them, you must make your safety, and the safety of those around you, your top priority.

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Translated content is typically AI-generated, and in some instances, it's been human-reviewed. Review the list below for translation details within this topic.

• English

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  • Questions = human-translated

  • Video = human-translated

  • PDF = human-translated

• Spanish

  • Questions = AI-translated

  • Video = AI-translated

  • PDF = AI-translated

1. Make sure you know where to find the number for your country’s human trafficking hotline, so you can report any suspicious activities immediately if they happen in your workplace.

2. If you suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking, do not confront the victim or the trafficker. Doing so could put you, the victim, or others in danger.

3. If you suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking, follow your organization’s policies, and report your suspicions to the appropriate people (i.e., manager, security, local authorities, and/or human trafficking hotline).

4. If you witness suspicious activities that could indicate human trafficking, record a summary of the event(s), so you can share it with the authorities as soon as possible.

5. If you witness suspicious activities that could indicate human trafficking, write down the date, time, and location of the event(s), so you won’t forget and can give the correct information to the authorities.

6. If you witness suspicious activities that could indicate human trafficking, take note of what the victim(s)/trafficker(s) were wearing, what they looked like, and what they said/called each other. This information could help authorities identify them.

   Examples: Height, hair color, weight, age, clothing, tattoos, scars, nicknames

7. If you witness suspicious activities that could indicate human trafficking that involve a vehicle, take note of the vehicle make, model, color, and license plate number. This could help authorities locate the trafficker(s)/ victim(s).

8. If you suspect someone is a victim of human trafficking and they are in immediate danger, call emergency services and inform them of your suspicions right away.