By Tsvetelina Thompson Managing Director, Twentyfour-Seven, Inc. Special to Lake Okeechobee News
Posted 1/16/24
In 1875, Congress took a historic step in the fight against human trafficking by ...
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January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Posted
Opinion piece by Tsvetelina Thompson, a survivor of human trafficking, victim advocate and managing director of Twentyfour-Seven, Inc., an organization committed to combating human trafficking by providing assistance to victims and aiding corporations in implementing effective governance programs against human trafficking.
By Tsvetelina Thompson Managing Director, Twentyfour-Seven, Inc. Special to Lake Okeechobee News
In 1875, Congress took a historic step in the fight against human trafficking by passing the Page Act. This groundbreaking legislation aimed to curb the importation of unfree individuals and women for immoral purposes. Despite its noble intentions, the act's overall impact fell short. Fast forward 150 years, and Congress has now enacted the Trafficking Victim Protection Act (TVPA), giving rise to a myriad of programs led by expert run non-profit anti-trafficking organizations.
However, the success rate of these programs, as reported in the annual Trafficking In Persons report (TIP Report), hovers around a mere ½ of 1%. Amidst this challenging landscape, Twentyfour-Seven, a survivor-led organization is revolutionizing anti-trafficking efforts. Their pioneering approach involves the use of a QR Code, a method which predates the COVID-19 era's QR Code popularity.
Officially registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Twentyfour-Seven Anti-Trafficking QR Code® boasts a remarkable victim reach success rate of 5.36%. This achievement is more than ten times greater than the effectiveness of conventional methods employed by expert-led non-profit programs. Tsvetelina Thompson, a trafficking survivor and the Founder/Managing Director of Twentyfour-Seven Inc., attributes this success to the organization's deep understanding of real-life experiences.
Tsvetelina Thompson, a trafficking survivor and the Founder/Managing Director of Twentyfour-Seven Inc., vividly recounts her experience during the 2008 European football championship, shedding light on the inefficacy of traditional methods during major events. "When I was trafficked, attending a major sporting event like the championship was just another day in the life for me. I saw the signs and posters experts put so much effort into displaying throughout the tournament. Somehow, experts believed I would have the time and privacy to call that number or ask for help in between entertaining men and attending the festivities. They missed the mark," Thompson reveals.
Drawing from her own traumatic past, Thompson highlights the inefficacy of traditional methods during major events like the football championship The Twentyfour-Seven Anti-Trafficking QR Code® strategically encourages self-identification by incorporating the phrase “Abused? Tricked? Coerced? Forced?™” around its perimeter. Recognizing the challenge of delivering accurate information in a world fraught with misinformation, the organization utilizes a cataloged webapp accessible through smartphones.
Thompson emphasizes the ubiquity of smartphones among trafficking victims, citing her own experience with two iPhones controlled by her trafficker. The code's success further hinges on its interaction with businesses. While expert-led non-profits may request companies to display posters, Twentyfour-Seven, Inc. goes beyond, continuously enhancing anti-trafficking efforts through analytics collected from each scan.
The critical distinction lies in the program's acute, data-driven approach. Described by Thompson as Anti-Trafficking Acute, the dichotomy between Anti-Trafficking Acute and Anti-Trafficking Obtuse programs delineates a profound difference in their effectiveness and strategic approaches. Anti-Trafficking Acute, as articulated by Thompson, signifies a paradigm shift towards a data-driven methodology. This approach meticulously tailors messages to reach victims, creating a nuanced and targeted impact that fosters a heightened sense of corporate responsibility. The acute program, through its precision and efficiency, not only addresses the issue of human trafficking but also positions corporations as proactive contributors to societal well-being.
On the contrary, programs falling under the umbrella of Anti-Trafficking Obtuse are characterized by well-intentioned efforts that, unfortunately, lack the precision required to reach victims effectively. These initiatives may display genuine concern, yet they often fall short in delivering the necessary tools and strategies to companies. The obtuse nature of these programs results in a disconnect between intention and impact, leaving corporations inadequately equipped to address human trafficking issues comprehensively. In essence, the inherent limitations of Anti-Trafficking Obtuse programs underscore the imperative for companies to adopt the acute approach, recognizing the data-driven precision it provides as a crucial component in safeguarding their interests and contributing meaningfully to the interruption of human trafficking.
The Twentyfour-Seven Anti-Trafficking QR Code® is successful because serves as a catalyst for responsible corporate action by enabling efficient victim identification and comprehension. In a world where conventional methods face challenges, this survivor-led initiative stands as evidence of corporations' capacity to make a meaningful impact when equipped with the right tools and methods to combat human trafficking. As the need for corporate responsibility intensifies, embracing such programs becomes imperative for both safeguarding corporations and aiding trafficking victims.
Keywords
Twentyfour-Seven,
Inc.,
human trafficking awareness and prevention