From our inception, Solutionz has been vocal about our support for anti-human trafficking organizations. We are not only touched by the epidemic of trafficking, but we are also moved to action.
Pinpointing the exact size of the human trafficking industry in the US is challenging due to its clandestine nature. However, it's widely acknowledged to be a significant problem in all kinds of neighborhoods and at every type of hotel property.
Our Giving Model
So what are we doing about it? First and most important, we not only say that we are a company that supports the values of faith, family and freedom, but we also put our money where our mouth is.
We offer non-profits that support anti-human trafficking 2x our normal donation (50% donation based on our gross revenues from travel bookings made with the TravelingToGive tools). This giving model is available for our for profit clients as well that wish to support these non-profits.
Education and Awareness
It is our goal to increase awareness of the signs that trafficking is occurring and how our youth are being groomed. Fighting trafficking begins in the home.
If you believe trafficking only happens in third world countries or in the no-tell motel, then we highly recommend that you take the training offered by NOMORE, one of our TravelingToGive partners.
We recommend that you take the free training offered by our partner NOMORE. They also provide tools to share the issue at age appropriate levels with your kids. Click below to learn more.
Event Traveler Study
Solutionz is spearheading a syndicated study of the Event Traveler. Both the events and travel industries are unwittingly complicit in human trafficking. Here are some of the reasons:
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Large Gatherings and Events: Events such as conferences, conventions, and sporting events attract large crowds, providing opportunities for traffickers to exploit victims. The anonymity of such gatherings and the temporary influx of people can make it easier for traffickers to operate undetected.
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Labor Trafficking in Hospitality: Within the travel and hospitality sector, labor trafficking can occur in hotels, restaurants, and other service industries. Victims may be lured into these jobs with promises of legitimate employment but end up in situations of exploitation and abuse.
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Sex Trafficking in Tourism: Tourism hotspots can become hubs for sex trafficking, where victims are exploited in brothels, massage parlors, and other venues catering to tourists. Traffickers may use hotels, transportation services, and online platforms to facilitate their operations.
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Transportation Networks: Traffickers often rely on transportation networks to move victims from one location to another, whether within the country or across borders. This includes airlines, buses, trains, and other modes of transportation that may be used to transport victims to exploit them or to evade law enforcement.
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Online Exploitation: The internet has become a common tool for traffickers to recruit, advertise, and exploit victims. This includes online platforms for booking accommodations, transportation, and entertainment, which may unknowingly facilitate trafficking activities.
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Supply Chain Exploitation: The events industry relies on various supply chains for goods and services, and trafficked individuals may be forced to work in these supply chains under exploitative conditions, producing items such as promotional merchandise or catering services.
Efforts to combat human trafficking within these industries involve increased awareness, training for staff to recognize and report potential trafficking situations, implementing policies and procedures to prevent exploitation, and collaborating with law enforcement and anti-trafficking organizations to address the problem effectively.
Following the completion of the Event Traveler Study, Solutionz and our research partner Mandala Research will be holding a think tank and our anti-trafficking partners NOMORE and Rescue Party Give will be facilitating both training on the issue of trafficking and also discussions on how the two industries can be more proactive in fighting this insidious problem in our nation.
Product Development Roadmap
Following the Event Traveler Study Think Tank in November, we are hopeful that the sponsor workgroup will come up with a methodology by which we can begin sorting and filtering properties based on an objective Safety rating system.
In the interim, we can utilize our Concierge (Smart Snapshot) tool to highlight properties that are being proactive in fighting Trafficking, which we believe will be particularly helpful for the meetings and events industry. This product is available and could be used to develop a state by state directory of "safe" properties that align with the values of faith, family and freedom.