Polaris Project

Motto	For A World Without Slavery
Formation	2002
Type	NGO
Purpose/focus	Combat human trafficking and slavery
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Location	United States
Executive Director and CEO	Bradley Myles[1]
Main organ	Board of Directors[2]
Website	Official website

Polaris Project is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that works to combat and prevent modern-day slavery and human trafficking. The organization works directly with victims, hosts tip and crisis hotlines, and offers solutions to those victimized by human trafficking. The organization is one of the largest anti-trafficking organizations in the US, with programs operating at local and national levels through their offices in Washington, D.C. and Newark, New Jersey.^[3] Their approach includes conducting direct outreach and victim identification, providing social services and transitional housing to victims, operating the National Human Trafficking Resource Center NHRTC)^[4] serving as the central national hotline on human trafficking, advocating for stronger state and federal anti-trafficking legislation, and engaging community members in local and national grassroots efforts.

History

The Polaris Project was founded in 2002, by Derek Ellerman and Katherine Chon, who were seniors at Brown University, when they were inspired to create a nonprofit organization that focuses on ending human trafficking and modern-day slavery. The inspiration came to them after learning about a forced labor criminal case which exposed how six South Korean women were forced to work at a brothel in Providence, Rhode Island.^[5] The organization was named after the North Star, which slaves in the Southern United States used to help them find their way along the Underground Railroad to freedom in the North. The organization is committed to ending human trafficking and slavery and focuses its efforts in the United States.^[6] Polaris Project is one of the few organizations working on all forms of trafficking, including supporting survivors who are male, female, transgendered and children, US citizens and foreign nationals and survivors of both labor and sex trafficking.^[3] In April 2013, Polaris Project launched their Global Human Trafficking Hotline Network to connect with international anti-trafficking organizations running hotlines and coordinate efforts. ^[7]

National programs

Policy program

Based out of their Washington D.C. headquarters, Polaris Project's policy program works to advance state and federal policy related to the crime of human trafficking, providing services to victims, training state employees, and educating the public. Polaris Project engages in direct lobbying and grassroots outreach. Successes include extensive work on the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2008, reauthorization of the Federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act as well as advancing state policy in nearly all 50 states.^[8]

National Human Trafficking Resource Center

Since 2007, Polaris Project has administered the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, a hotline with 24/7 service that provides referrals to victims of human trafficking, connects law enforcement to information about human trafficking, and helps those who provide services to victims of human trafficking expand their capacity to do so.^[9] The hotline answers questions and responds to crises in up to 170 languages.^[10] and provides materials in over 20 languages.^[11] Since 2007, the hotline has received over 60,000 calls. Callers include victims of human trafficking seeking services, as well as individuals and organizations seeking information about human trafficking.

Training and technical assistance

Polaris Project's training, technical assistance, and strategic planning program works to improve the systemic response to protect victims of human trafficking in the United States. The program is designed to help strengthen the anti-trafficking field, to share best practices, to improve national levels of coordination, and meet the urgent need of the field for accessible and comprehensive information as well as practitioner-based training, technical assistance, and strategic support.^[12]

Public outreach and communications

The organization's public outreach and communications program aims to increase public awareness about the realities of human trafficking in the United States and build local capacity to combat human trafficking by engaging media, community members, and key stakeholders in anti-trafficking activities on the local and national levels.^[13]

Client services

Polaris Project provides direct services to survivors of human trafficking both in Washington, D.C. and Newark, New Jersey. They provide counseling, job training, case management, transitional housing, and emergency services. Case managers are available to provide services around the clock.^[14]

Global human trafficking hotline network

On April 9, 2013 Polaris Project and Google announced the launch of the Global Human Trafficking Hotline Network.^[15] This network will share promised practices, trend information, and local knowledge to help combat the global scourge of human trafficking.

Honors and awards

Since its founding, Polaris Project has received awards and honors for its achievements, including those below:

Affiliations

Both government and non-government associations have worked to end human trafficking and slavery. Nongovernmental organizations with whom Polaris Project works include The CNN Freedom Project,^[16] while government affiliations include sections from the US Department of Justice, US Department of Homeland Security, the US Department of State, and the US Department of Labor.

References