Trafficking and the 2021 Super Bowl LV: What to Know and How to Help
The 2021 Super Bowl is scheduled to take place in Tampa Bay, Florida on February 7th. Though Super Bowl LV looks different than it has any other year with limited capacity seating, the Buccaneers and Chiefs are still set to play in front of a live audience. As we gather either in our homes or at the stadium, it is important to take a look the influence that the Super Bowl has on human trafficking.
Photo by Brock Wegner, Unsplash
There are an estimated 40 million people in trafficking situations world-wide, every day of the year -- Super Bowl or not. Since this year’s Super Bowl is taking place in Florida, it is necessary to recognize that there is trafficking in Florida all year long. According to the National Trafficking Hotline, there were 896 cases of trafficking reported in Florida in 2019. Of these cases, 640 were sex trafficking cases. The Super Bowl has a reputation for being a “Magnet for sex trafficking.” In a state that already has many cases of trafficking, the Super Bowl can be an added opportunity for traffickers to take advantage of the travel and crowds.
While there is a lot of conversation surrounding human trafficking and the Super Bowl, many organizations leading the fight against trafficking, such as Polaris Project, aim to remind the public that trafficking is a reality all year long and not just on Super Bowl Sunday. This is a humbling reminder to know the signs of trafficking and be aware of what is happening around us each and every day. However, the Super Bowl is an event that attracts tons of viewers. Even following a year like 2020, the Super Bowl will still require mass travel as players, coaches and spectators make their way to Tampa Bay. In the host city, hotel staff, Uber and Lyft drivers and flight attendants are trained on the signs of trafficking in order to work together to keep their city safe.
Last year, we partnered with Business Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) to provide trafficking prevention education to rideshare drivers in Miami, and Las Vegas leading up to the Super Bowl. We asked Katie Amodei, the Communications Manager at BEST, her thoughts on how frontline workers can help prevent trafficking:
Human trafficking happens all around us. But if witnesses do not know what to look for, it can easily go unnoticed.
People who are vulnerable to human trafficking frequent public places and local businesses. They can be trying to leave their family, or they may be homeless, hungry, or alone. Traffickers look for this, and they know they can often find and recruit new victims at bus stops, parks, shopping malls, and other locations. In addition, traffickers often force victims to meet buyers at businesses. This can range from parking lots, at a buyer’s place of employment, or a hotel.
Frontline employees can witness these interactions and are in a unique position to be able to help human trafficking victims if they know the warning signs to watch for.
In addition to training frontline workers, it is critical to recognize that while sex trafficking and the Super Bowl are typically a topic of discussion, trafficking takes place in many forms worldwide including forced labor. Labor trafficking is rampant in the garment industry and the Super Bowl is an event that sells endless amounts of textiles.
Furthermore, the restaurant business and trafficking have connections. When shopping for food, take a look at what companies you are supporting and research the way that their employees are treated. The Super Bowl is powered by large companies and makes a large profit, do what you can to limit your own contribution to labor trafficking during this year’s Super Bowl. Our shopping habits are one of the biggest tools that we have to advocate for freedom. Consider purchasing your food from a local restaurant rather than a big chain or support small retailers when purchasing fan gear. Shop from businesses that treat their employees well.
Katie at BEST offers a few ways for us to prevent trafficking and stay engaged in the fight:
Take time to educate yourself about the problem of human trafficking and talk with your social circle to help others learn too.
Know where to get help! The National Human Trafficking Hotline, 1-888-373-7888, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Add this number to your phone so it’s there if you need it.
Write your local, state and federal elected officials to let them know you care about combating human trafficking and ask what they are doing to address it.
Be an advocate for human trafficking survivors and donate to organizations that help survivors rebuild their lives.
About the Author
Shannon Haupert is originally from the West Coast and is now navigating life in New York City. You can find her anywhere with a journal in one hand and snacks in the other. She is passionate about sustainability, human rights, and creativity. When she's not writing, she spends her time working as a nanny, exploring the city, and drinking far too much coffee along the way.