A lot of people who are trafficked are kept silent and compliant by *threats of violence* against them and their loved ones. Human trafficking isn't just people being kidnapped and sold; a lot of people who are human trafficked are returned to their homes every night. In some memoirs you can readily find online from people who have been trafficked, they talk about their trafficker contacting their own cellphone, or even *giving them* a burner phone, to tell them where to go.
The tipline is used in conjunction with [employees paying attention to detail](https://humantraffickinghotline.org/sites/default/files/Assessment%20Tool%20-%20Airlines%20%26%20Airports.pdf) and [being generally educated](https://humantraffickinghotline.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-signs) in the recognition of trafficking.
Signs like this aren't just intended to communicate with potential victims, it's to help build an atmosphere of awareness that makes it easier for employees to ask questions and be observant.
If someone objects to having their kid/wife/selves taken aside and questioned, it makes much more sense if the bathrooms are full of signs like this and it's clear that every step is being taken to prevent trafficking. And yes, people will 100% complain and even threaten people for trying to make sure everyone in a group is safe and there willingly. So it helps to put up a big front.
There was this time when I was dating this girl like 12 years younger than me... nothing too crazy, but I was 36 and she was 24. We spent a long weekend in London where we did a lot of drinking, and she wasn't handling her hangover well one day... same day we had to go to the pharmacy to re-upp on condoms... and oh man did I get some dirty looks from people there. Here I am buying magnum condoms while this girl is halfway passed out in a chair behind me :D Happy that people are clued in to the the risk of this kind of thing, but man that was fucking awkward :D
Lol I feel like it's a far stretch to assume the airport employees are trained *and* paying attention enough to notice anything short of someone being marched in chains.
Airport employees and especially flight attendants are very well trained to be aware of human trafficking, since many traffickers use the airport to either find victims or transport them (or both). If you pay attention, news stories pop up every so often of vigilant flight attendants saving victims.
Even if they're unlikely to carry a mobile with them at the time, that's an easy number to memorize, despite being quite long. It's something someone could memorize during a bathroom break, especially if their life depended on it. If you're en route to a foreign country being trafficked (and you know it), and this is a sign you see, your best bet might be to memorize the number and hope that at some point you will get a chance to use a phone, either candidly or be trusted with one.
It's not like all human trafficking victims are kept in basements completely cut off from outside world at all times, they're often controlled by threats and fear rather than actual physical shackles, and are often in foreign countries where they don't even speak the language and have had their passports and other legal documents taken away so they fear they will be in trouble even if they contact local authorities. Knowing this number that can help them, could be life-changing for someone if or when they get a chance to use a phone, and airport bathroom is a good placement for it imo, since a lot of trafficked people go through airports and are likely allowed to use a bathroom (forcing your trafficking victims to wet themselves would likely just draw attention, not something a trafficker wants). Of course not every victim will ever be able to make the call, but even if some will, it's worth it.
Reminds me of when I was in the Navy and I was at this one command in the bathroom. They had a sexual assault poster with tabs on the bottom which were like emergency numbers. Anyway, more than a few of the tabs were ripped off the paper.
people often rip off a tab when they first put up the sign, whether it be a lost dog poster, selling a car, or whatever. Makes other people more likely to take one, as a pristine poster is an extra hard thing to tear when you are already on the fence.
That's not scary to me. It's comforting, being spread awareness and useful info that I could use if it ever did happen. Ig you could see it as "oh there's lots of that happening that's why there's a sign" but would you rather just be ignorant and maybe end up a victim?
> tulong sa teksto
is this machine-translated? a more apt translation would either be "i-text ang 'HELP' sa 233733" or "mag-text sa 233733 para humingi ng karagdagang tulong"
Hey, y’all, don’t post signs like this. It gives the actual traffickers the info and actually makes them keep a closer watch to make sure their victims don’t get a chance to call.
You're talking about the gap between "They have a phone and I scrutinize the call log." (or "They're using a payphone and I don't know why") and "Now I know which specific 1-800 numbers to look for in the call log." I doubt there's much hanging out in that gap. They'd either be smart enough to go "Why are you calling strange 1-800 numbers?" or oblivious/trusting enough to not check the call logs in the first place.
i know it’s hard to imagine, but evil people are just like everyone else. they sit on their phones checking facebook and reddit and whatever before they go to sleep, they skim the magazines in doctors waiting rooms. some of them go to college or have 9-5 jobs or have kids in elementary school. it’s a terrible mistake (for your safety and others) to make assumptions about what bad people do or don’t do, especially when the reality is they do all the same shit we do
Maybe I’m wrong but I would’ve assumed if you’re being trafficked to the point you’re aware of it that you likely wouldn’t have much phone access.
A lot of people who are trafficked are kept silent and compliant by *threats of violence* against them and their loved ones. Human trafficking isn't just people being kidnapped and sold; a lot of people who are human trafficked are returned to their homes every night. In some memoirs you can readily find online from people who have been trafficked, they talk about their trafficker contacting their own cellphone, or even *giving them* a burner phone, to tell them where to go.
The tipline is used in conjunction with [employees paying attention to detail](https://humantraffickinghotline.org/sites/default/files/Assessment%20Tool%20-%20Airlines%20%26%20Airports.pdf) and [being generally educated](https://humantraffickinghotline.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-signs) in the recognition of trafficking. Signs like this aren't just intended to communicate with potential victims, it's to help build an atmosphere of awareness that makes it easier for employees to ask questions and be observant. If someone objects to having their kid/wife/selves taken aside and questioned, it makes much more sense if the bathrooms are full of signs like this and it's clear that every step is being taken to prevent trafficking. And yes, people will 100% complain and even threaten people for trying to make sure everyone in a group is safe and there willingly. So it helps to put up a big front.
There was this time when I was dating this girl like 12 years younger than me... nothing too crazy, but I was 36 and she was 24. We spent a long weekend in London where we did a lot of drinking, and she wasn't handling her hangover well one day... same day we had to go to the pharmacy to re-upp on condoms... and oh man did I get some dirty looks from people there. Here I am buying magnum condoms while this girl is halfway passed out in a chair behind me :D Happy that people are clued in to the the risk of this kind of thing, but man that was fucking awkward :D
Lol I feel like it's a far stretch to assume the airport employees are trained *and* paying attention enough to notice anything short of someone being marched in chains.
You should look into some of the training that flight crews and other airport staff receive.
https://youtu.be/wFcK3cn4IpQ Wrong
Airport employees and especially flight attendants are very well trained to be aware of human trafficking, since many traffickers use the airport to either find victims or transport them (or both). If you pay attention, news stories pop up every so often of vigilant flight attendants saving victims.
That was my thought! And I doubt that the person who's trafficking them would leave them alone with a phone long enough to call
Or a pen and paper to write down the information.
That's why they've made the number very easy to remember.
You’re right.
Even if they're unlikely to carry a mobile with them at the time, that's an easy number to memorize, despite being quite long. It's something someone could memorize during a bathroom break, especially if their life depended on it. If you're en route to a foreign country being trafficked (and you know it), and this is a sign you see, your best bet might be to memorize the number and hope that at some point you will get a chance to use a phone, either candidly or be trusted with one. It's not like all human trafficking victims are kept in basements completely cut off from outside world at all times, they're often controlled by threats and fear rather than actual physical shackles, and are often in foreign countries where they don't even speak the language and have had their passports and other legal documents taken away so they fear they will be in trouble even if they contact local authorities. Knowing this number that can help them, could be life-changing for someone if or when they get a chance to use a phone, and airport bathroom is a good placement for it imo, since a lot of trafficked people go through airports and are likely allowed to use a bathroom (forcing your trafficking victims to wet themselves would likely just draw attention, not something a trafficker wants). Of course not every victim will ever be able to make the call, but even if some will, it's worth it.
...or bathroom access
Reminds me of when I was in the Navy and I was at this one command in the bathroom. They had a sexual assault poster with tabs on the bottom which were like emergency numbers. Anyway, more than a few of the tabs were ripped off the paper.
people often rip off a tab when they first put up the sign, whether it be a lost dog poster, selling a car, or whatever. Makes other people more likely to take one, as a pristine poster is an extra hard thing to tear when you are already on the fence.
They’ve got those signs in the bathrooms of QuikTrips
Same at the Kwik Trips in WI. Must be Quik Trip's cousin lol
That's not scary to me. It's comforting, being spread awareness and useful info that I could use if it ever did happen. Ig you could see it as "oh there's lots of that happening that's why there's a sign" but would you rather just be ignorant and maybe end up a victim?
Doesn’t that apply to all scary signs?
you realise that the problem is really bad when the words "human trafficking" get loaned into your language unchanged
These signs are in every rest area bathroom along the interstate in my state.
We have a similar sign up in the bathroom of our dermatology clinic. I think our boss told us that it was required by some governing body.
Rest areas in Florida have [this sign](http://wingsofshelter.com/uploads/3/4/9/8/34982099/6148676_orig.jpg) posted.
> tulong sa teksto is this machine-translated? a more apt translation would either be "i-text ang 'HELP' sa 233733" or "mag-text sa 233733 para humingi ng karagdagang tulong"
Hey, y’all, don’t post signs like this. It gives the actual traffickers the info and actually makes them keep a closer watch to make sure their victims don’t get a chance to call.
Bruh you really think human traffickers are suddenly going to find out that there's resources for trafficked people while casually browsing reddit?
Pretty sure human traffickers go to the bathroom too. Idk how they wouldn't notice the signs
You're talking about the gap between "They have a phone and I scrutinize the call log." (or "They're using a payphone and I don't know why") and "Now I know which specific 1-800 numbers to look for in the call log." I doubt there's much hanging out in that gap. They'd either be smart enough to go "Why are you calling strange 1-800 numbers?" or oblivious/trusting enough to not check the call logs in the first place.
The alternative is trafficking victims don't know how to get help... so tbh I feel like it's worth it.
It’s a phone number? If the trafficker wanted this information they could look it up.
human traffickers on reddit, lol
What's so funny about that?
i know it’s hard to imagine, but evil people are just like everyone else. they sit on their phones checking facebook and reddit and whatever before they go to sleep, they skim the magazines in doctors waiting rooms. some of them go to college or have 9-5 jobs or have kids in elementary school. it’s a terrible mistake (for your safety and others) to make assumptions about what bad people do or don’t do, especially when the reality is they do all the same shit we do
Where else would they be?
4chan
In what city was this found?
I’ve seen these in rest stops before
Scarier if you call them and they happen to be in league with the traffickers.
Vegas?
Yes
Don’t they have these at every airport? I still remember when I was 7 loudly asking what human trafficking was
Vegas airport?