Connect with trusted hotlines, legal aid, and local organizations to get help, report concerns, and support those affected by human trafficking in Iowa.
Get Help
Hotlines
For emergencies, always dial 911. Do not approach suspected traffickers on your own.
Iowa Human Trafficking Tip Line
Non-emergency reporting. Managed by the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
Iowa Victim Service Call Center
24/7 crisis intervention, referrals, and confidential support services.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Available 24/7 in more than 200 languages.
DHS Child Abuse Hotline
Legal Aid
Iowa Legal Aid
Iowa Legal Aid provides free civil legal assistance to low-income Iowans, helping with issues such as housing, family law, and consumer matters. They have multiple offices located throughout the state to serve eligible individuals.
Crime Victim Assistance
Crime Victim Assistance, offered through the Iowa Attorney General, provides victim compensation programs, legal advocacy services, and referrals to additional support resources for those affected by crime.
Law Enforcement Resources
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers
Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers provides human trafficking awareness training with free online modules, scenario-based learning, and certification classes.
The Office of Community Policing Services
The Office of Community Policing Services (COPS) Training provides human trafficking resources through its COPS Training Portal, including Human Trafficking: The Crucible of Training. It offers guidance on best practices for law enforcement responses and effective community policing strategies.
The National Sheriffs’ Association
Resources and training from the National Sheriffs’ Association designed to help sheriffs identify, prevent, and respond to human trafficking—featuring jail-based victim identification tools, rural awareness strategies, and sheriff-specific guidance.
Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign
The Department of Homeland Security’s Blue Campaign provides law enforcement resources, including awareness materials and toolkits, guidance on investigation protocols, and training focused on a victim-centered approach.
Resource Hub
Printables
Screening Tools for Service Providers
Administration for Children and Families
The Administration for Children and Families provides Human Trafficking Screening Tools that include comprehensive protocols and examples of trauma-informed approaches for service providers.
Improving Outcomes for Child Welfare
Improving Outcomes for Child Welfare offers a Child Welfare Screening Tool with youth-specific assessments and guidance for considerations in foster care.
Speakers
Western Iowa
Siouxland Coalition Against Human Trafficking
Sioux City and Regional Counties
To schedule a speaker, contact them at scahtinc@gmail.com or visit their website.
Central Iowa
Ames & Regional Counties: Central Iowa Service Network Against Human Trafficking
More informative and educational. Speakers come from various coalitions.
Contact the organizations they are associated with (YESS)
Des Moines & Polk Counties: Plymouth Congregational Church Human Trafficking Task Force
Contact email: shirlee421@gmail.com
Marshalltown & Marshall Counties
Last Watch Coalition lastwatchgroup@gmail.com
Eastern Iowa
Iowa City & Johnson County Human Trafficking Coalition
Speaker expertise: Human Trafficking 101, Trauma Informed Care, Legal Aspects of Trafficking
Possible willingness to speak outside of Johnson County.
Contact email: jchtcinfo@gmail.com
Davenport: Attacking Trafficking
Quad Cities, Muscatine and Eastern Iowa.
Speaker expertise: Human Trafficking 101, Presentation to Medical Personnel, Hotel/Motel Training
Contact email: jamohr@netins.net
Dubuque: Tri-State Coalition Against Trafficking and Slavery
Dubuque and the TriState area
Speaker Expertise: Human Trafficking 101, Bus Driver Training, School Training, Trauma Informed Care, Hotel/Motel Training
Contact email for Hotel/Motel Training: mmosle@bvmsisters.org
Contact email for all other training: marilou@dbqpbvms.org
Chains Interrupted
Cedar Rapids and surrounding area
Speaker Expertise: Awareness/Action (general public), General Businesses, Schools, Hotel/Motels, Financial Industry, Vulnerable Youth, Faith Community, Church Safety Teams, Law Enforcement/Corrections, Technology, Mental Health Professionals, Medical Professionals, and Trauma-Informed Care
To schedule a speaker, contact Teresa@chainsinterrupted.com
Clinton Sisters of St. Francis Human Trafficking Coalition
NOTE: The group is in the process of being reorganized.
Videos
U.S. Department of Homeland Security – What is Human Trafficking?
The Blue Campaign is the unified voice for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to combat human trafficking. This video provides clear answers to “What is Human Trafficking?”
Join the Iowa Business Against Trafficking Coalition
Your business can help in the fight against human trafficking in Iowa. Learn how to join the Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking coalition, overseen by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate. Together, we can make Iowa a trafficking-free state!
Share America – Human Trafficking: Freedom First
Explores how 25 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking, different forms of trafficking, and community awareness strategies.
United States Institute Against Human Trafficking – HT101
Fact-based presentation on sex trafficking in the United States.
Any Kid Anywhere: Sex Trafficking Survivor Stories
Filmed in Iowa, this video shatters the myth that sex trafficking only happens in big cities or third-world countries and features three Iowa survivors sharing their harrowing experiences.
FRONTLINE – Trafficked in America
This award-winning documentary investigates a criminal network exploiting undocumented minors, the companies that profited, and how government policies inadvertently delivered teens to traffickers.
Gridshock Documentary (Trailer)
Gridshock is a riveting documentary that exposes the demand driving sex trafficking in Iowa. Filmmaker Vanessa McNeal, a survivor of sexual violence, examines why the sex trafficking industry continues to thrive by focusing on the growing demand from buyers (johns) and the culture of impunity that often protects them. The film features powerful perspectives from survivors, local and federal law enforcement, advocates, politicians, and a recovering sex addict, offering a comprehensive look at the systems that enable exploitation. For information on full documentary screenings, visit Gridshock – A Film About Sex Trafficking.
Links – Key Organizations and Resources
Iowa-Specific Organizations
Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery (Iowa NAHT)
The only statewide coalition coordinating anti-trafficking efforts in Iowa. Provides training, resources, and support for organizations and communities.
Stop Human Trafficking Iowa
Grassroots organization focused on raising awareness and preventing human trafficking through community education programs.
Iowa Legal Aid
Offers free civil legal services for trafficking victims, including assistance with immigration, housing, and family law.
Iowa Safe at Home
State address confidentiality program for survivors, including mail forwarding, confidential voter registration, and absentee voting services.
National Resources
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Provides a 24/7 hotline (888-373-7888) for reporting and assistance, along with comprehensive data and reporting on human trafficking.
Polaris Project
Conducts research, advocacy, and provides resources on human trafficking prevention and victim support.
DHS Blue Campaign
Federal initiative to raise awareness and provide training on human trafficking. Offers free resources for businesses and communities.
U.S. Department of Justice
Provides federal prosecution resources and victim services information related to human trafficking.
Industry Specific Resources
Financial Sector Resources
Video: Financial Services Industry by Chains Interrupted
Financial Sector Overview
Financial institutions serve as critical gateways in the fight against human trafficking. Every day, banking professionals, loan officers, compliance specialists, and customer service representatives process transactions that could reveal signs of one of the world’s most devastating crimes.
Human trafficking generates billions of dollars annually, and nearly all of that money flows through legitimate financial systems at some point. Traffickers depend on banks, credit unions, payment apps, wire services, and other financial channels to sustain their operations. This dependency creates an opportunity: financial professionals can spot the warning signs that law enforcement might never see.
Risks for human trafficking within the Financial Sector
- Money laundering through trafficking proceeds
- Exploitation of banking services for trafficking operations
- Prepaid cards used for victim control
- Wire transfers for recruitment and payment
Common Indicators of human trafficking:
- Multiple accounts with same identification
- Large cash deposits from multiple sources
- Frequent international wire transfers to high-risk countries
- Accounts controlled by someone other than the named holder
- Unusual transaction patterns inconsistent with customer profile
Recommended Actions & Training Points:
- For all employees:
- Recognition of trafficking indicators
- Safe reporting procedures
- Guest interaction protocols
- Understanding trauma-informed responses
- For managers and supervisors:
- Response protocol implementation
- Coordination with law enforcement
- Staff training oversight
- Documentation and reporting requirements
- For frontline, public facing employees:
- Front desk screening awareness
- Housekeeping observation skills
- Security camera monitoring
- Guest service interaction protocols
Resources
FinCEN Guidance on Human Trafficking Red Flags
This FinCEN advisory provides guidance for financial institutions on identifying and reporting suspicious activity related to human trafficking to help protect vulnerable individuals and disrupt criminal networks.
Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Requirements
The Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) requires financial institutions to maintain records and report certain transactions to help detect and prevent money laundering, tax evasion, and other financial crimes.
Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) Filing Procedures
This resource provides a curated list of key terms and SAR filing instructions from FinCEN advisories to help financial institutions accurately identify and report suspicious activity.
Hospitality Sector Resources
Video: Businesses Customers Enter by Chains Interrupted
Hospital Sector Overview
As a hospitality industry professional, you are in a unique position to recognize and report potential human trafficking violations. You play an important role because you regularly interact with guests and the greater public in general. You may have employees, coworkers, or subcontractors who are victims of forced labor.
Hotels and motels are also major locations where traffickers force sex trafficking victims to provide commercial sex to paying customers. Victims may be forced to stay at a hotel or motel where customers come to them, or they are required to go to rooms rented out by the customers. Traffickers may also use hotels when transporting victims to new locations.
Risks for human trafficking within the Hospitality Sector:
- Hotels/motels used for sex trafficking operations
- Room rentals paid in cash or by third parties
- Staff may witness trafficking but not recognize signs
- Short-term stays with high traffic
- Budget motels and extended-stay facilities particularly vulnerable
- Meeting spaces used for trafficking operations
- Staff fear of confrontation or retaliation
- High employee turnover reducing trained workforce
Common Indicators of human trafficking:
- Guest refuses housekeeping services repeatedly
- “Do not disturb” sign remains for extended periods
- Multiple people entering room with one registered guest
- Guest appears malnourished, afraid, or disoriented
- Cash payments for extended stays
- Guest lacks personal belongings or ID
- Security cameras covered or avoided
- Requests for specific room locations (away from cameras, near exits)
- Third party books room but different person checks in
- Excessive foot traffic to/from room at odd hours
- Minor accompanied by non-related adult
- Guest claims to be older but appears underage
- Inappropriate clothing for season or circumstances
- Visible bruising, signs of physical abuse
- Guest avoids eye contact, allows companion to speak for them
- Room is paid for in cash by someone not staying there
- Multiple cell phones, excessive condoms, or large amounts of cash visible
Recommended Actions & Training Points:
- For all employees:
- Recognition of trafficking indicators
- Safe reporting procedures without confrontation
- Guest interaction protocols
- Understanding trauma-informed responses
- Importance of discretion and victim safety
- For managers and supervisors:
- Response protocol implementation
- Coordination with law enforcement
- Staff training oversight and reinforcement
- Documentation and reporting requirements
- Crisis management procedures
- Legal liability considerations
- For frontline, public-facing employees:
- Front desk screening awareness and check-in protocols
- Housekeeping observation skills and reporting
- Security camera monitoring and pattern recognition
- Guest service interaction protocols
- Maintenance staff awareness
- Valet and parking attendant vigilance
Resources
American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) – “No Room for Trafficking” Campaign
Provides free online training, best practices, and policy templates to help lodging staff prevent human trafficking.
Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST)
Offers hospitality-specific guidelines, survivor employment programs, and corporate responsibility frameworks.
Blue Campaign Toolkit: Human Trafficking Response Guide for the Hospitality Industry
Step-by-step guidance for lodging businesses on recognizing and responding to trafficking.
SAVE (Slavery Awareness Vetting for Enterprise)
Training and certification program that helps hotels screen jobs and contractors to prevent human trafficking.
Iowa Office to Combat Human Trafficking – Lodging Provider Training and Certification
State-mandated program under Iowa Code 80.45A requiring lodging staff training for events involving public employees or publicly-funded conferences.
Transportation Sector Resources
Video: Businesses Employees Work in the Community by Chains Interrupted.
Transportation Sector Overview
Human traffickers often use planes, trains, and ships to transport victims, hiding them in plain sight. As a transportation industry employee, you are the eyes and ears on the highways, in the air, on railways, and at sea.
The nature of your profession puts you in a unique position to recognize and report potential instances of human trafficking. You play an important role because you regularly interact with members of the traveling public, and you may be able to recognize signs that someone is in danger.
Risks for human trafficking within the Transportation Sector:
- Victims transported across state lines or internationally
- Truck stops as trafficking venues
- Commercial transportation used for victim movement
- Transit workers positioned to identify victims
- Airport and bus terminal trafficking operations
Common Indicators of human trafficking:
- Passenger appears fearful, disoriented, or submissive
- Companion controls passenger’s documents and communication
- Passenger has few or no personal belongings
- Inappropriate clothing for weather or destination
- Signs of physical abuse or malnourishment
- Child traveling with unrelated adult without proper documentation
- Passenger unable to answer basic questions about themselves
- Multiple passengers with same controlling person
- One-way tickets purchased with cash
- Destination inconsistent with passenger appearance/preparation
Recommended Actions & Training Points:
- For all employees:
- Basic trafficking awareness for all transportation workers
- Recognition of red flags during routine operations
- Safe reporting mechanisms
- Understanding victim-centered approaches
- For managers and supervisors:
- Implementation of company-wide response protocols
- Partnership development with law enforcement
- Employee training coordination
- Policy development and enforcement
- For frontline, public-facing employees:
- Detailed observation skills for drivers, ticket agents, flight attendants
- Conversation techniques for gathering information
- De-escalation and safety procedures
- Emergency response protocols
Resources
Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT)
Provides training, wallet cards, response templates, and webinars to help trucking professionals identify and report human trafficking.
Blue Campaign Toolkit – Human Trafficking Response Guide for the Transportation Industry
Offers practical guidance for transportation companies to detect and respond to trafficking incidents.
Airline Ambassadors International
Flight attendant training and airport awareness programs in partnership with major airlines to combat human trafficking.
Amtrak Police
Amtrak Police: Transit-focused training and law enforcement collaboration protocols to increase trafficking awareness on rail systems.
Transportation Leaders Against Human Trafficking (TLAHT)
Coalition of transportation companies sharing best practices and developing industry-wide anti-trafficking standards.
