As a member of IBAT, your business can help share facts, tips, and action items that others can take against human trafficking.
Quick Actions
Report a Tip
Iowa Human Trafficking Tip Line
Important Note: This is a non-emergency tip line. For emergencies, dial 911.
Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Report suspected child sexual exploitation or child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Iowa Victim Service Call Center
The Call Center provides 24/7 crisis intervention, information, and referrals for crime victims throughout Iowa.
Ways to Get Involved
As a Consumer
- Support businesses committed to ethical sourcing practices.
- You can also ask local businesses to become an Iowa Business Against Trafficking (IBAT) member by going to https://ibat.iowa.gov. View a full list of participating businesses here.
- Review the Department of Labor’s List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor.
- Encourage companies to publish supplier lists and factory information for transparency.
In Your Community
- Volunteer with local anti-trafficking organizations.
- Contact local, state, and federal elected officials about combating human trafficking.
- Set up web alerts for human trafficking news to stay up to date on cases, legislative changes, and more.
- Follow CNN’s Freedom Project for global trafficking stories.
Host Events
- Organize film screenings such as Gridshock and discussions about human trafficking.
- Partner with local libraries to host educational events.
- Organize fundraisers for anti-trafficking organizations.
In Schools
- Encourage school districts to include human trafficking in curricula.
- Advocate for protocols to identify and report suspected trafficking cases.
- Support the development of response procedures for potential victims.
Resources
On Social Media
- Raise awareness using hashtags such as #endtrafficking and #freedomfirst.
- Share educational content and resources from trusted sources, such as information provided by IBAT and its partner organizations.
- Amplify survivor voices and advocacy organizations in your community.
In the Workplace
- Assess whether your workplace is trauma-informed
- Urge your human resources department to implement trauma-informed business practices.
- Provide employee training on recognizing trafficking indicators specific to your industry.
As a Mentor
- Become a mentor to a young person or someone in need.
- Provide positive support systems that help prevent trafficking.
- Offer guidance during formative or difficult times.
For Parents and Caregivers
- Learn how traffickers target and recruit youth.
- Host community conversations with Parent Teacher Associations, law enforcement, and schools.
- Educate children about online safety and predatory tactics.
- Recognize the resources available for potentially dangerous situations.
For Youth
- Understand Youth Exploitation – Homeland Security
- Learn to recognize traffickers’ recruitment tactics.
- Know how to safely navigate suspicious or uncomfortable situations.
- Understand resources available for help at any time.
- Trust your instincts and speak to trusted adults.
For Faith-Based Organizations
- Host awareness events and community forums with anti-trafficking leaders.
- Provide collective support for local victim service providers.
- Examples may include:
- Volunteering
- Participating in events hosted by the provider
- Advocating for resources and funding
- Donating
- Examples may include:
- Offer safe spaces for survivors.
- Examples may include:
- Offering pastoral counseling
- Mentorship programs
- Creating prayer groups and or faith gatherings connecting survivors
- Examples may include:
- Integrate trafficking awareness into ministry programming.
For Businesses
- Investigate and prevent trafficking in supply chains using the Responsible Sourcing Tool.
- Use Comply Chain to develop management systems.
- Implement employee training programs.
- Join Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking and make a commitment to learn something and do something today. Apply here.
For College Students
- Join or establish university clubs focused on anti-trafficking work.
- Organize campus awareness campaigns.
- Choose trafficking-related topics for research papers.
- Request human trafficking be included in university curricula.
- Partner with local organizations for community action.
For Health Care Providers
- Learn to identify trafficking indicators.
- Assist victims with appropriate referrals and care.
- Partner with anti-trafficking organizations to extend services.
- Implement trauma-informed care practices.
For Journalists
- Follow media best practices for reporting on human trafficking.
- Avoid sensationalism and victim-blaming language.
- Protect survivors’ identities and privacy.
- Highlight systemic issues and solutions.
- Partner with trusted advocacy organizations and governmental agencies for accurate information.
For Attorneys
- Offer pro bono legal services to trafficking victims.
- Assist with immigration status applications (T and U visas).
- Support victims seeking benefits and protection.
- Visit Human Trafficking Legal Center Website
Advocate – Direct Action Steps for IBAT Members
Distribute Materials
Request hotline stickers for community distribution, and place them in restrooms, break rooms, and other public spaces to help ensure support and resources are easily accessible.
Community Engagement
Set up resource tables at community events, county fairs, libraries, churches, schools, business expos, and more.
Film Screenings
Schedule showings of Gridshock, the human-trafficking documentary focused on sex trafficking in Iowa. Consider hosting screenings at schools, churches, libraries, or community centers to reach a broad audience and spark important conversations.
Town Hall Meetings
Host Town Hall Meetings to open community discussions on trafficking, inviting the local sheriff, mayor, police, community members, and business leaders. These gatherings focus on creating stronger, safer communities while identifying local vulnerabilities and collaborating on practical solutions.
Fundraising
Hold fundraisers to support local survivor services by identifying credible organizations in your community that directly aid advocacy efforts and survivors. You can also volunteer with or offer financial support to nonprofits working with victims, and consider organizing corporate matching programs to expand your impact.
Volunteer
Volunteer at agencies that serve survivors, offering professional skills such as legal, medical, counseling, or administrative support. You can also provide mentorship and personal support to help meet ongoing needs and empower survivors in their recovery.
Coalition Building
Form or join a local anti-trafficking coalition. Iowa currently has 15 active coalitions, which can be viewed through the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery.
Policy Templates
Workplace Policies
Transportation Industry
This comprehensive guide was developed by Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT), a non-profit organization that educates, equips, empowers, and mobilizes the trucking and busing industries to combat human trafficking.
General Business
The Model Anti-Human Trafficking Policy guide is an easily adaptable template for any business sector or industry, and offers guidance on commitment statements, prohibited conduct, supply chain expectations, and reporting procedures.
Supply Chain Information
Supply Chain Due Diligence involves assessing raw material sourcing locations, identifying high-risk countries and sectors, implementing monitoring and verification systems, and establishing supplier codes of conduct.
International Trade Administration Training
This free training for businesses on human trafficking and forced labor in global supply chains. Participants learn to identify potential instances of forced labor, access resources for reporting allegations, and review country-specific risk assessments.
Responsible Sourcing Tool
The Responsible Sourcing Tool, developed by Verité and the U.S. Department of State, helps businesses uncover potential forced labor in their global supply chains. It provides risk assessments organized by country and industry, guidance on compliance and best practices, and a comprehensive Resource Library with information on key laws and standards.
Response Protocols
Why Response Protocols Matter: For human trafficking training to be truly effective, organizations must have response protocols. Training is one part of the puzzle; knowing what and how to report is the second critical component.
Truckers Against Trafficking Template
Designed for easy customization with agency logo and language. The template covers a range of situations that employees may encounter, including instances when a human trafficking victim is alone and either requesting help or not, when a victim is accompanied by a potential trafficker and either seeking help or remaining silent, and when potential recruitment is observed. To guide responses in these scenarios, the protocol provides suggested language for frontline employees, clear dispatch procedures, supervisor response guidelines, documentation requirements, coordination with law enforcement, and measures to ensure victim safety is always prioritized.
Note: Every business and industry may require different adaptations.
