Front-line Professional Training Program

Training is an essential aspect of how HRRC addresses the human trafficking problem. In order for victims to be rescued, more community professionals need to have a greater understanding of the issue and how to identify a potential victim. HRRC identifies key front-line professionals, such as law enforcement, health care providers, social workers, educators, and others who are in the best position to come into contact with a victim of human trafficking. HRRC, along with its coalition partners, have developed several training programs specifically designed for these professionals. Some examples of these programs are:

• Health Care Training Program – The Look Beneath the Surface and H.E.A.R Your Patient program is a three part series designed to educate health care professionals about human trafficking, how to identify a victim in a clinical setting, and what policies and procedures should be followed to connect that victim with appropriate services.
• Law Enforcement Training Program – This program aims to inform law enforcement agents about the issue of human trafficking, the federal and state laws on trafficking, red flags, investigative techniques, resources available, and how to connect victims to appropriate services.
• Domestic Minor Trafficking Training Program -  This program is intended to bring awareness to professionals such as educators, school counselors, social workers,  juvenile probation officers, etc. about domestic minor trafficking.   These professionals are targeted because of their position and the likelihood of them coming in contact with a minor victim of trafficking.  It is very likely that domestic minor trafficking victims have already come in contact with these professionals but have not been identified as such.  The training program aims to define the issue of domestic minor trafficking, red flags to look for, how to identify a potential victim, in-take tools for better assessment and resources of appropriate services that are needed for this victim population. In addition, this program endeavors to focus on prevention and curbing the possible supply of vulnerable children to traffickers through early intervention.
• Telecommunicator Training Program – Telecommunicators such as 911 operators, Crime-stopper call-takers and other hotline call-takers are in a unique position of being the first point of contact for many potential victims of human trafficking.  As such, it is essential that these professionals are trained on how to identify a situation as human trafficking and to connect the caller to appropriate services and resources.  HRRC, in partnership with key community stakeholders wrote a protocol for handling human trafficking calls and is the basis for our telecommunicator training program.  This program covers the basics of human trafficking, how to identify a call, what questions to ask the caller and how to route the call to appropriate services, resources and law enforcement.

To request a training from HRRC, click here.

Community Awareness Activities

One of HRRC’s main objectives is to educate the public about the issue of human trafficking. We achieve this goal through our community awareness presentations to groups such as churches and rotary clubs. Through this program we provide the public with the fundamentals of human trafficking – the who, what, where, and red flags. Our community presentations are generally 30 – 60 minutes in length and are available to any community group who would like to learn more about the issue and what it looks like in our community. HRRC also offers our community awareness presentations in Spanish. To request a community awareness presentation click here.

• Human Trafficking Awareness Month
  This annual event is officially proclaimed by the Mayor of Houston (as Human Trafficking Awareness Month) and takes place in September of each year. The month incorporates a series of awareness events and trainings that are hosted by HRRC, its coalition members and community partners from across the Greater Houston area for the purpose of raising awareness about human trafficking across all sectors of our city.  Events have ranged from our Big Dipper Dash Awareness Run, to a Faith and Freedom Weekend.  For a list of this year’s events, click here.
• Human Trafficking Technical Assistance and Resource Center
  HRRC provides resource materials and technical assistance to students, human trafficking organizations and other NGOs who are seeking advice and expertise on a variety of topics. Our expertise ranges from coalition building, outreach efforts, training programs and other specific human trafficking topics. Many of our outreach materials/resources are available in several languages. Our resource materials include fact sheets, brochures, films, ID cards, posters, etc.
• The Look Beneath the Surface Traveling Art Exhibit
  The art exhibit was developed to promote awareness about human trafficking through the eyes of local professional and young artists who have artistically interpreted the stories and experiences of human trafficking survivors. The show has been on display across the state at such locations as the State Capital, Houston City Hall, St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, Bering and James Art Gallery and many more. If you would like to host the art exhibit please click here.

Multilingual Media Campaign

In an effort to raise general awareness about the issue of human trafficking, HRRC has developed a multilingual media campaign that has included over the years, the use of Highway Billboards, Community Billboards, Malls Signs, Airport Shuttle Signage, Taxi Cab Signage – all with the message of either “Stop Modern-day Slavery In Houston” or “No Human Life Should be For Sale.” All signage includes the number of the national human trafficking hotline or the local Crime-stoppers number in order to report a potential trafficking situation. In addition, HRRC has also developed Spanish-language radio PSAs that are aired on several Univision radio stations and an English-language TV PSA that is airing on local Houston channel 55.

Fair Trade Initiative

HRRC recognizes that concerned individuals want to be sure that the products they purchase are free of slave and child labor, and Fair Trade certified products are one of the few ways to make that happen. Because of this, HRRC is working to raise awareness about what Fair Trade means, where to find it and why it is so important that consumers make the choice to purchase Fair Trade products when they are available. One of our current efforts is the Fair Trade Houston movement as part of the Fair Trade USA initiative. For more information on what Fair Trade means or the Fair Trade Houston movement, please see our Fair Trade page.

HRRC’s Volunteer Program

• Neighborhood Outreach Campaign
  This campaign engages volunteers to participate in groups to conduct outreach to local businesses through the Greater Houston Community by educating business owners about the issue and requesting their participation in our awareness efforts by posting the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline number.
• Coaster Crawl Campaign
  The coaster crawl campaign is an initiative to raise general awareness amongst Houstonians about human trafficking by targeting local restaurants, bars and cafes. HRRC engages volunteers to participate in distributing coasters to these establishments. Each coaster illustrates a common situation of human trafficking discovered in the Houston area and how individuals can make a difference by reporting a situation to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline. The aim of this campaign is to educate the public that modern-day slavery exists, that it is happening in our very own community and to empower people to take action by reporting situation to the national hotline.

Additional Activities of HRRC

• Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA)
  HTRA is the local Houston-area law enforcement task force focused on human trafficking. HTRA takes a multi-disciplinary approach by bringing many different law enforcement agencies and NGO’s together to combat this horrible crime. HRRC is an active member on this task force.
• Human Trafficking Prevention Task Force
  During the 81^st Texas Legislative session, HB 4009 was passed and required the development of a state-wide task force on human trafficking. HRRC was appointed by the Attorney General of Texas to be one of 47 members to serve on this task force. HRRC has taken an active role on the task force, especially in the areas of training and curriculum development.

HRRC’s Sub-Contracted Projects

Outreach to Minority Populations with Pro-bono Attorney Trainings, Subcontracted to Catholic Charities – Cabrini Center for Immigrant Legal Assistance

Catholic Charities has experience in providing direct representation for countless survivors of human trafficking, and has worked to raise public awareness and affect more systemic changes to address the problem of human trafficking.  As a sub-awardee, The Cabrini Center will raise awareness and increase identification of trafficking victims through an outreach project focused on the South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latino populations and others who live in outlying and under-served areas.  In addition, the Cabrini Center will educate and train pro bono attorneys to provide immigration and/or legal services to all victims of human trafficking.

Outreach to the Asian Community, Subcontracted to The Chinese Community Center

The CCC serves over 10,000 families annually through their comprehensive educational and social service programs, and has been an essential partner as HRRC aims to reach out to the large Asian community in Houston.  As a sub-awardee, the CCC will lead the outreach initiative to the Asian communities, build capacity through a comprehensive survey on the issue, educate the community, and train front-line professionals to recognize this issue.

Outreach Project to the GLBTQ Community, Subcontracted to the Montrose Counseling Center

Montrose Counseling Center empowers the GLBTQ community to enjoy healthier and more fulfilling lives by providing culturally affirming and affordable behavioral health and prevention services.  As a sub-awardee, MCC’s project will first target the GLBTQ community in and around Houston, with an emphasis on GLBTQ homeless youth, in order to increase awareness of human trafficking, identify, serve and/or refer GLBTQ victims of human trafficking to appropriate providers.  Secondly, MCC’s outreach will increase cultural competence surrounding GLBT issues among law enforcement personnel and HRRC partners.

Labor Trafficking Initiative, Subcontracted to Houston Interfaith Worker Justice Center

HIWJ is the only community-based nonprofit fielding and responding to low-wage workers’ workplace issues in the Greater Houston Area.  The workers who come to HIWJ are mostly Latino immigrants working in industries vulnerable to abuse and labor trafficking, such as day labor, temporary work, construction, domestic work, and food service.  As a sub-awardee, HIWJ will train and prepare workers as well as employers to identify and avoid potential labor trafficking situations themselves, and how to identify and report trafficking within their communities.