♥ Blue Heart
July 30 — World Day Against Trafficking in Persons
Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2013 to raise awareness of the situation of victims of human trafficking and to promote and protect their rights.
Led globally by UNODC through the Blue Heart Campaign. #EndHumanTrafficking
Learn more at UNODCThe scale of it
These are victims detected by authorities — identified cases, not the full hidden total.
trafficking victims detected worldwide in 2022. Global detections rose 25% compared with 2019.
Source: UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2024of detected victims were children (22% girls, 16% boys).
Source: UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2024of detected victims were women and girls.
Source: UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2024Forced labour is now the most common form of exploitation among detected victims, ahead of sexual exploitation. Trafficking into forced criminality — including forced work in online scam operations — is rising (about 8% of detected victims).
Sources: UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2024 · UNODC 2026 theme: "Trapped behind the scam"
The bigger picture
An estimated 49.6 million people were in modern slavery on any given day in 2021 — 27.6 million in forced labour and 22 million in forced marriage. Modern slavery is broader than trafficking; this figure comes from the ILO, Walk Free and IOM.
Source: UN NewsIf you need help, or you suspect trafficking
US National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call 1-888-373-7888
(TTY: 711)
Chat at humantraffickinghotline.org
Free, confidential, 24/7, in more than 200 languages. Operated by Polaris. The Hotline is not law enforcement or immigration.
Report suspected trafficking to federal law enforcement: HSI Tip Line 1-866-347-2423. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Outside the United States: there is no single global hotline — contact local emergency services or an anti-trafficking organization. IOM (UN Migration) runs counter-trafficking and victim-assistance programs worldwide: iom.int/counter-trafficking
Do not confront a suspected trafficker or try to intervene yourself — it can put you and the victim in danger. Call the Hotline or law enforcement instead.
Guidance from the US Department of Homeland Security Blue Campaign.
Recognize the signs
No single sign proves trafficking, and signs may not be present in every case — but these indicators, from the National Human Trafficking Hotline and the DHS Blue Campaign, are reasons to call the Hotline.
- Not free to leave, or to come and go as they wish
- Unpaid, paid very little, or paid only in tips; works excessively long or unusual hours without breaks
- Owes a large debt they cannot pay off; recruited through false promises about the work
- Does not control their own money or ID/passport
- Not allowed to speak for themselves — someone else insists on answering or translating; seems coached
- Fearful, anxious, submissive or tense; avoids eye contact; fears law enforcement being mentioned
- Signs of abuse, restraint or malnourishment; bruises in different stages of healing; denied food, water, sleep or medical care
- Few or no personal possessions; lives at the workplace or in unsuitable conditions; heavy security (barred windows, cameras, locks)
- Disconnected from family, friends and community; sudden dramatic behaviour change; a child who has stopped attending school
- Any person under 18 in commercial sex is a victim of sex trafficking under US law — no force or coercion needs to be shown
Sources: National Human Trafficking Hotline — Recognizing the Signs · DHS Blue Campaign — Indicators of Human Trafficking
January 11 — National Human Trafficking Awareness Day (US)
In the United States, January 11 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day (designated by the US Senate in 2007), and January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The Department of Homeland Security's Blue Campaign marks the day with #WearBlueDay — wear blue, the international color of trafficking awareness, and share a photo with the hashtag to start the conversation.
DHS Blue Campaign — #WearBlueDayOrganizations doing the work
This page doesn't take donations. These organizations do — and they answer the phones, run the shelters, and build the cases.
US nonprofit working to end trafficking through data, research and survivor-centered programs; operates the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
The UN office leading the global response to trafficking; runs the Blue Heart Campaign and publishes the Global Report on Trafficking in Persons.
UN Migration agency and a global leader in counter-trafficking; more than 100,000 trafficking survivors directly assisted.
The UN Children's Fund; works against child trafficking through prevention, protection and reintegration with governments and partners.
Global nonprofit dedicated solely to fighting human trafficking — reach, recover, restore.
Partners with local authorities to rescue victims, prosecute perpetrators, restore survivors and strengthen justice systems.
The world's oldest international human rights organization (founded 1839), working to eliminate all forms of slavery, including trafficking.
Veteran-led nonprofit fighting child exploitation and trafficking: supports law-enforcement investigations and rescues, trains partner agencies, and provides survivor aftercare.
Human trafficking happens in every country and every kind of community — farms and factories, restaurants and construction sites, homes and online. July 30 is one day to learn the signs and save the number. The Hotline works every day.
1-888-373-7888