As communities prepare to recognize World Day Against Trafficking in Persons in July, experts warn that human trafficking and child exploitation remain among the most pervasive
and misunderstood crimes of our time.

According to the United Nations, 12 million of the nearly 50 million people trapped
in human trafficking are children.

“Today, we are all on the frontlines of this fight and it’s a race against time.”
– Derek Benner, Our Rescue CEO

WASHINGTON, July 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Global anti-trafficking nonprofit, Our Rescue, today announced the launch of “RISE UP,” an intensive initiative leading up to World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30. The focus of this month’s campaign is to promote active engagement and collaboration across all levels of private and public sectors, turning awareness into action.

“Awareness is no longer enough. Today, we are all on the frontlines of the fight against human trafficking and it’s a race against time,” said Derek Benner, CEO of Our Rescue, and a former executive member of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) who oversaw the creation of the agency’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking. “This is not a distant or isolated crime. It is often hiding in plain sight, inside our homes and communities.”

Human trafficking is one of the most pervasive and misunderstood crimes of our time, present in all regions of the world.

“Many still imagine predators as strangers in parking lots, luring children into a white van. Today, these crimes begin with a message, a follow request, an online relationship, or a conversation on a platform young people trust,” added Benner.

Children unknowingly encounter human traffickers online via cell phones, messaging apps, social media, and gaming platforms. This is where recruitment, grooming, and exploitation increasingly occurs. According to a Crisp assessment, offenders needed as little as 19 seconds from first contact with a child to move to the “high-risk grooming” phase, a process that took only seven messages in this instance. The study also notes that “the average time an offender takes to groom a minor in a gaming environment is just over 45 minutes.”

Of additional concern is how calculated and methodical predators are, using a “volume-based approach” (casting a wide net) and following what appears to be a checklist of tactics used to quickly move children from the familiar gaming environment to a one-on-one conversation outside the platform. That is where the conversation becomes sexual. (We Protect Global Alliance, Crisp)

“The tactics of online predators have changed, but their goal is the same: identify vulnerability, build trust, and exploit it. As a society, our ability to prevent, identify, and respond to this threat involves taking appropriate action,” Benner said.

Our ability to prevent, identify, and respond to this threat has generally been grounded in awareness and education, even training. Benner urges communities to put greater emphasis on action going forward and to come together as a united front, with increased collaboration and resources to help fuel the fight against human trafficking.

Trends reveal dramatic increase in cybercrimes related to human trafficking:

• The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) identifies human trafficking as one of the most profitable forms of organized crime, rivaling the global drug trade. Experts warn that if current trends continue, sex trafficking could overtake drug trafficking in profitability. (ILO, 2014; UNODC, 2024)
• Human trafficking is reported in all 50 U.S. states and affects all regions of the globe.
• Millions of people globally are trapped in commercial sexual exploitation.
• Forced commercial sexual exploitation generates an estimated $173 billion globally in illegal profits each year. (ILO, 2024)
• Online enticement and sextortion continue to rise.
• Grooming increasingly begins on digital platforms children trust and use every day.
• Survivors, law enforcement, forensic interviewers, and child protection experts are seeing this reality firsthand.
• The global awareness day “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons” is on July 30 and provides a timely reason to discuss these growing trends.

This July, Our Rescue’s team of global experts will spotlight the realities of human trafficking, share survivor stories of hope and resilience, and provide opportunities for individuals, communities, and organizations to Join the Fight.

“Human trafficking stays hidden because many people don’t realize what they’re seeing,” said June Haskell, Director of Survivor Engagement with Our Rescue. “When a teenager is groomed online, when someone is manipulated through social media, or when a victim is isolated and controlled, those are not separate incidents – they can be warning signs of exploitation. The more we understand what exploitation actually looks like, the better equipped we are to recognize it and respond.”

Haskell notes that RISE UP is a time to amplify survivor-informed perspectives and advocate for survivor-centered, long-term healing and support. She emphasizes the importance of strengthening collaboration across systems and reducing barriers so survivors can more easily access the support and resources they need throughout their healing journey.

“No one heals in isolation,” added Haskell. “Survivors often interact with many different systems throughout their journey, including law enforcement, healthcare providers, advocates, child protection professionals, family members, and community supports. RISE UP is an opportunity to bring those partners together and strengthen the network of support that helps people move from crisis toward healing and stability.”

Recognizing that human trafficking can be a difficult topic for many people to confront, Our Rescue is asking media organizations to help bring greater visibility to this issue.

Now and throughout the month of July, Our Rescue will make subject matter experts available for interviews. We can also schedule interviews in advance for World Day Against Trafficking in Persons on July 30.

Subject matter experts available for interviews:

• Our Rescue executive leadership with expertise in global anti-trafficking efforts and emerging trends.
• Survivor-informed voices who can speak to the realities of exploitation and recovery.
• Forensic interview professionals with experience supporting child victims and contributing to trafficking investigations.
• Specialists who work alongside frontline partners to strengthen prevention, identification, and response efforts.

WHY THIS MATTERS NOW

Online exploitation is accelerating at an alarming rate. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), reports of online enticement increased by more than 300 percent between 2021 and 2023 and exceeded 456,000 reports in 2024.

As July kicks off this critical Human Trafficking awareness month, Our Rescue is looking to build deeper understanding of the issue in the U.S. and around the world and to help communities bridge from that understanding to meaningful action.

HOW TO TURN AWARENESS INTO ACTION
Our Rescue welcomes the opportunity to deep-dive on ways parents, caregivers, and communities can turn awareness into action. Here are a few of the nonprofit’s recommendations:

• Parents and caregivers can talk to their children early and often about responsible, safe internet use, and what to do if they’re uncomfortable or unsure about something online.
• Parents can also give their children the space to demonstrate responsible online use and ensure you’re always open to talk – it’s important for them to know they can approach you with questions or something they found online and not be judged, punished, or made to feel ashamed.
• Be present and engaged when your child navigates the internet, take an interest in their online interests, and work to build a collaborative relationship that will be helpful, especially when they become teenagers.
• Communities can address vulnerabilities in coordination with residents, schools, and businesses; provide training for frontline workers; create direct reporting channels to help respond quickly and efficiently to potential local threats.
• Communities, agencies, and organizations can partner with nonprofits like Our Rescue that can provide tools and training, assets like ESD K9s, resources, and support for law enforcement operations and access to trauma-informed survivor care.

About Our Rescue
Our Rescue is a global nonprofit working to end human trafficking and child exploitation while empowering survivors to reclaim their lives and thrive on their healing journey. We partner in this fight with nonprofit organizations, law enforcement, governments, and supporters who share our vision of a world free from human trafficking and child exploitation.

Our Rescue provides resources, training, technology, and operational support to law enforcement agencies working to identify victims, pursue offenders, and build stronger cases.

The organization also supports survivor care partners with the capacity, expertise, and resources needed to help survivors heal and rebuild. Through training and prevention efforts, Our Rescue works to educate communities and reduce vulnerability before exploitation occurs.

Together with a global network of partners, Our Rescue works as a collective and convener, boldly fighting to eradicate human trafficking and child exploitation everywhere.

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SOURCE Our Rescue