The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office (OAG) is working to spread public awareness of human trafficking during the World Cup, amid concerns that the world’s most highly anticipated and watched sports tournament, drawing fans from across the world to the Meadowlands, could be exploited by traffickers.
Human trafficking is the crime of gaining power over someone and exploiting them for a profit — inducing victims to work against their will or to perform commercial sex acts using abuse, force, threats of violence, restraint, deception, coercion, or by otherwise taking advantage of their vulnerabilities.
The OAG was recently involved in the launch of a public awareness campaign partly consisting of ads featuring professional soccer players warning the public about the risk of human trafficking associated with large international sporting events.
The campaign, which unites government agencies and corporations to raise awareness of human trafficking, is a cooperative effort among the OAG, the state Department of Labor & Workforce Development, the New York City Mayor’s Office, the nonprofit organization It’s a Penalty, and private-sector partners.
The prevention campaign running ahead of, and during, the global soccer event will include ad placements and activities at airports, airlines, hotels, accommodation providers, transportation networks, media platforms, and fan venues in New Jersey, New York, and other host locations. The campaign aims to ensure that millions of fans, travelers, and local communities have access to vital information and tools to protect themselves and others.
Local businesses can get involved by displaying campaign messaging (posters) on their premises. Members of the local business community can find and download printable versions of the posters, which feature human trafficking hotlines, warning signs, and other information, in both English and Spanish, in PDF format, by visiting the World Cup page of the New Jersey Attorney General’s website at www.njoag.gov/oag-fifa-human-trafficking.
Read more information about the human trafficking awareness campaign in this article on the AG’s website, “AG Davenport Announces Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Campaign as World Cup is Set to Begin in East Rutherford – New Jersey Office of Attorney General.”
