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News & Updates

US Doctors Asked to Watch for Human Trafficking Victims

The Department. of Health and Human Services (HHS) is rolling out its "Rescue and Restore Victims of Human Trafficking" awareness campaign to provide physicians and other health care professionals tools to detect victims of this crime.

HHS believes that doctors will play a key role in rescuing victims of human trafficking. The agency hopes the campaign will raise the index of suspicion among physicians. It also will provide a suggested list of questions to ask to confirm the need for a referral and a national toll-free number to link patients with prescreened organizations that specialize in the problem.

The campaign comes on the heels of recognition that this problem is increasing and that the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 has had little impact so far. An estimated 14,500 to 17,500 people are victimized in this way in the United States each year, with another 600,000 to 800,000 victimized around the world.