Today is January 11th, National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Each January 11th, we at One Voice to End Slavery post an updated version of the previous year’s list of “11 Practical ideas to Combat Slavery” in hopes that it will be a resource to those desiring to end slavery. This year, we’re calling it “11 Practical Ideas to Ending Slavery”.  We think “Ending” slavery is a more appropriate title since several currents efforts by organizations, companies, and governments have shown effective in actually putting an end to slavery in various parts of our world.

This list was originally created a couple of years ago and since has been updated to include new ideas.

You will see a link below to a pdf document that contains the information presented on this post. You’re welcomed to download it and pass it along. It is already formatted to be used as an insert for your school, organization, or business.

We invite you to join us in a movement to end slavery in our lifetime.

#1 Learn more.
Find useful documents to download and blogs to read at http://slavery.alltop.com/, http://thedailyreviewer.com/top/slavery, http://ftsblog.net/, and http://www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2010/

#2 Memorize ONE Phone Number – 888-3737-888.
This is the national trafficking hotline number. If you suspect slavery or exploitation, call this number. To find out more about what to look for, visit www.acf.hhs.gov/trafficking.

#3 Give.
Send $11 to a local or global anti-slavery/trafficking agency, coalition, organization, or shelter. Everything helps. Organizations like Polaris Project, International Justice Mission, Free the Slaves, Love146, Stop the Traffik, Salvation Army, and many others are doing phenomenal work in this area.

#4 Advocate for change.
Call or write your elected officials. Tell them that you care about the issue of human trafficking and want stronger laws to protect victims and prosecute criminals. Keep reminding them. Get news from www.polarisproject.org on how to engage in political action and advocacy.

#5 Consume wisely.
Hold businesses accountable and ask corporations to join the fight against slavery. Visit www.chainstorereaction.com and email companies to ensure that their products are slave-free. Soon you will be able to demand a SLAVE-FREE brand.

#6 ‘Face’-slavery.
Post articles, videos, tag-lines and/or replace your Facebook or Twitter avatar with the One Voice to End Slavery logo all day. Click here for logo.

#7 Movie Night.
Host a film and invite your friends over and/or head to your local theatre. Movies like The Dark Side of Chocolate, At the End of Slavery, Very Young Girls, Playground, The Candy Shop, Trade, Call+Response, Cargo, Fields of Mudan, Slumdog Millionaire, etc.

#8 Do what you love.
Use your talents to fight slavery. Do an art project and display it in a public place. Use a sports event to raise awareness and funds for the issue. Talk about the issue at a concert, or make it a benefit for survivors. Film a movie on the state of modern-day slavery. Write about the issue and post it on your blog.

#9 Body Activism.
Purchase a One Voice to End Slavery hoodie or t-shirt and let what you wear speak loudly. Upload a picture of your hoodie or t-shirt on our web site. For more information, visit www.just4one.org or www.onevoicetoendslavery.com.

#10 Contact Local Media.
Write an email, letter, or call your local media to do a story about modern-day slavery or cover one of the organizations you support. Ask them to provide more coverage about the efforts to end slavery in your area. In addition, if your local paper has a section of their paper dedicated to escort services, ask them whether or not they know for sure if the businesses highlighted are not fronts for prostitution and/or slavery.

#11 Pray.
For those with a faith perspective, spend some time praying for people directly impacted by slavery as well as those working to fight it.

Please click the following link to download this information in pdf form:

National Awareness Trafficking Day PDF