Human Trafficking How to Report
Sadly, the state of Georgia has one of the highest human trafficking rates in the nation. Individuals who engage in this illegal and evil industry may seek to use the massage therapy profession as a cover for their criminal acts.
If you witness any signs of human trafficking within the massage therapy profession and including (but not limited) to forced labor and sex trafficking, do not endanger your life and the life of the victims by personally intervening. Instead, document your observations and report them to the authorities.
How to Report Signs of Human Trafficking
Call 911 if it is an emergency and you see that the victim is in imminent danger of their life being threatened. If the victim is not in imminent danger but you need to report indicators that the person(s) is a victim of human trafficking:
1) Text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733); or,
2) Call the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888; or,
3) Download the See Something, Send Something application. This application will allow you to send a picture or written notes to the State Police Intelligence Center, where its credibility can be examined and the matter referred to the proper law enforcement agency, if necessary. The application is available to download on apple and android devices.
Additionally, if the person involved in trafficking is a licensed massage therapist, select the Online Complaint (link to submit a complaint) button on the home page of Georgia Board of Massage Therapy website to report it to the Board.
Additional Resources
Information & Resources To Help Prevent Human Trafficking In The Massage Profession
During the February 19, 2021 meeting, the Georgia Board of Massage Therapy voted to begin posting links to useful resources to help to prevent human trafficking within the massage therapy profession. Below you various titles to links on the subject of human trafficking. Select the title to be taken to the page source document. Please note that the Board has no direct affiliation or partnership with the source of any of the referenced resources.
Resources: Hidden in Plain Sight: How Corporate Secrecy Facilitates Human Trafficking in Illicit Massage Parlors.