ITE Journal - June 2021 - 44

supplying certain knowledge, data, and expertise, such as surveillance information from rest areas and welcome areas, license plate
images, and information on suspected trafficker sites at or near
transportation assets.12 NCHRP 20-121 will include sample tools as
well as recommendations for future research.
As more transportation officials partner with local coalitions,
information can be shared that provides a two-fold benefit: the
transportation industry will have a greater understanding of
counter-trafficking tools that frontline workers need and frontline
workers can better advise the transportation industry in developing
robust data collection efforts, awareness materials, and training
modules. Human trafficking is an elusive crime. Collecting accurate
data on trafficking is extremely difficult, but necessary to better
understand how to address it and to inform data-driven decisions.

What YOU Can Do
The simplest way to help is to increase your own awareness,
and those you work with, to identify and report signs of human
trafficking. To get more involved, increase your commitment by
searching for and joining an existing coalition in your area or
region, or consider joining other interested agencies to form a
group. A transportation agency does not have to lead the charge,
but it is important for the DOT to be represented and offer their
perspective, their available resources, and their public spaces for
awareness materials. While we strive to provide a safe, inclusive
transportation system that improves mobility and accessibility,
we are all responsible for ensuring that the system does not allow
people to be harmed by it.

References
1. Human Rights First. (2014 June 10) Who are Human Traffickers? Polaris
Project. www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/who-are-human-traffickers
(Accessed May 3, 2021).
2. IBM Traffik Analysis Hub. https://www.traffikanalysis.org/ (Accessed
May 3, 2021).
3. Department of Justice. Human Trafficking Defined. United States
Department of Justice. https://www.justice.gov/humantrafficking
(Accessed May 3, 2021).
4. Prevalence. Walk Free Foundation. https://www.globalslaveryindex.
org/2018/findings/country-studies/united-states/ (Accessed
May 3, 2021).
5. Policy and Legislation. Polaris Project. https://polarisproject.org/policyand-legislation/ (Accessed May 3, 2021).
6. Mohn, T. (2012, November 8). " The Travel Industry Takes On Human
Trafficking. " New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/09/
giving/the-travel-industry-takes-on-human-trafficking.html (Accessed
May 3, 2021).

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7. United Against Slavery. Intersection of Transportation and Human
Trafficking. https://www.unitedagainstslavery.org/impact-award-team
(Accessed May 3, 2021).
8. Wood, S. (2018). The Intersection of Human Trafficking and Immigration.
Petrie-Flom Center at Harvard Law School
9. United Against Slavery. (2020, May 7). Introducing the 2021 National
Outreach Survey for Transportation. https://www.unitedagainstslavery.
org/nost-team (Accessed May 3, 2021).
10. Datko S., (2020 March 27) Top Class Actions. https://topclassactions.
com/lawsuit-settlements/human-trafficking/how-truck-stops-are-usedfor-sex-trafficking/#:~:text=They%20can%20use%20force%2C%20
fraud,a%20profit%20along%20the%20way. (Accessed May 3, 2021).
11. DHS Blue Campaign. (2018, July). Transportation Toolkit. https://www.
dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/18_0803_Blue-CampaignTransportation-Toolkit.pdf (Accessed May 3, 2021).
12. Baglin, C. (2020, January 15). NCHRP 20-121: State DOT Contributions
to the Study, Investigation, and Interdiction of Human Trafficking
(Conference Presentation). 2020 TRB Meeting, Washington, DC.

John Habermann, P.E. (M) is
research engineer at the Texas A&M
Transportation Institute. Elizabeth
Suárez is transportation designer
and planner at Fehr & Peers. Christi
Wigle is CEO and co-founder of United
Against Slavery. Steven Jones, Ph.D.
is James R. Cudworth professor of Civil,
Construction, and Environmental
Engineering at the University of Alabama.
Silvana V. Croope, Ph.D., ENV SP
is resilience research engineer at the
Alabama Transportation Institute.
Ron Hall is president of Bubar & Hall
Consulting, LLC. Margo Hill is associate professor at Eastern Washington
University (EWU) and associate
director of the EWU Small Urban
Rural & Tribal Center on Mobility.
Chris Baglin, JD, MPH, is principal
investigator, NCHRP 20-121, and Co-PI of the National Outreach
Survey for Transportation.

https://www.unitedagainstslavery.org/impact-award-team https://www.unitedagainstslavery.org/nost-team https://www.unitedagainstslavery.org/nost-team https://www.topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/human-trafficking/how-truck-stops-are-used-for-sex-trafficking/#:~:text=They%20can%20use%20force%2C%20fraud,a%20profit%20along%20the%20way https://www.topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/human-trafficking/how-truck-stops-are-used-for-sex-trafficking/#:~:text=They%20can%20use%20force%2C%20fraud,a%20profit%20along%20the%20way https://www.topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/human-trafficking/how-truck-stops-are-used-for-sex-trafficking/#:~:text=They%20can%20use%20force%2C%20fraud,a%20profit%20along%20the%20way https://www.topclassactions.com/lawsuit-settlements/human-trafficking/how-truck-stops-are-used-for-sex-trafficking/#:~:text=They%20can%20use%20force%2C%20fraud,a%20profit%20along%20the%20way https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/18_0803_Blue-Campaign-Transportation-Toolkit.pdf https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/18_0803_Blue-Campaign-Transportation-Toolkit.pdf https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/18_0803_Blue-Campaign-Transportation-Toolkit.pdf http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/resource/who-are-human-traffickers https://www.traffikanalysis.org/ https://www.justice.gov/humantrafficking https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/2018/findings/country-studies/united-states/ https://www.globalslaveryindex.org/2018/findings/country-studies/united-states/ https://www.polarisproject.org/policy-and-legislation/ https://www.polarisproject.org/policy-and-legislation/ https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/09/giving/the-travel-industry-takes-on-human-trafficking.html https://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/09/giving/the-travel-industry-takes-on-human-trafficking.html

ITE Journal - June 2021

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