New Jersey Section 2C:13-11 – Coordination of State’s involvement with national, 24-hour toll-free hotline service on human trafficking.

New Jersey and the National Human Trafficking Hotline: Working Together to Combat Exploitation

In New Jersey, as in the rest of the country, human trafficking continues to be a serious issue. Victims of labor and sex trafficking suffer unspeakable harms at the hands of their traffickers. That’s why back in 2013, New Jersey enacted Section 2C:13-11 of state law, which coordinates with and promotes the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

This article provides an overview of Section 2C:13-11, as well as New Jersey’s broader efforts to prevent trafficking and assist survivors. We’ll also discuss the national hotline itself – how it works, who operates it, and why it’s such a crucial resource in the fight against modern slavery.

What New Jersey Law Section 2C:13-11 Does

In brief, Section 2C:13-11 requires certain businesses and establishments throughout New Jersey to post information about the National Human Trafficking Hotline. This includes:

• Rest stops, turnpike service areas, and highway welcome centers operated by the NJ Turnpike Authority
• Hotels, motels, and other lodging facilities
• Adult entertainment establishments
• Job recruitment centers

For each of these locations, the specific information that must be posted includes:

• The National Human Trafficking Hotline phone number
• Instructions for calling or texting the hotline
• Information on the hotline’s hours of operation
• A note that caller ID and IP address masking options are available
• A brief description of human trafficking

The goal here is to reach victims where they often are – in hotels, strip clubs, vulnerable low-wage jobs obtained through shifty recruiters. Catching their eye with a hotline number and description, right there on the bathroom wall or lobby bulletin board, could be the lifeline they desperately need.

New Jersey’s Other Anti-Trafficking Efforts

Section 2C:13-11 is just one small part of New Jersey’s efforts to curb trafficking and help survivors rebuild their lives. Other key initiatives include:

• Safe Harbor Act – Provides legal protections for minors so they can access services without fear of prosecution for crimes their trafficker forced them into.
• Training programs – Educates hospitality staff, law enforcement, educators, and medical professionals on recognizing and responding to trafficking outreach services for survivors.
• Vacating convictions – Allows survivors to petition the court to vacate convictions for offenses committed as a result of being trafficked.
• Statewide task force – Brings together law enforcement, victim advocates, and other stakeholders to enhance coordination.

Much work still lies ahead – but bit by bit, we’re creating a New Jersey that traffickers will struggle to operate in, and where survivors have support to start fresh.

About the National Hotline

The National Human Trafficking Hotline is a 24/7 confidential service operated by the nonprofit Polaris. It launched in 2007 and has received over 300,000 calls about potential trafficking cases to date.

When a call or text comes in, specially trained Hotline Advocates first assess safety needs and determine if an emergency response is required. If not, they provide tailored referrals to social services in the victim’s area – shelter, counseling, medical care, legal help, and more.

Cases requiring further investigation get passed to a separate Task Force made up of law enforcement and regulatory agencies. They dig deeper into the trafficking operation and work to facilitate victim services as well as arrests and prosecutions where applicable. It’s a coordinated, victim-centered approach.

Without the Hotline acting as a central nationwide clearinghouse, many victims would fall through the cracks. Maybe a concerned hotel cleaner in New Jersey sees signs, but doesn’t know who to call locally. Maybe a runaway teen in Nevada texts needing help, but the closest FBI field office is flooded with other cases. The Hotline connects the dots across states, cities, agencies – getting victims assistance no matter where they reach out from.

The Road Ahead

In recent years, trafficking awareness across the US has grown by leaps and bounds. We now have a much better understanding of this issue – and how we all need to be part of the solution. Still, lack of awareness remains a key barrier to victim identification.

Imagine a young woman forced into commercial sex showing up at your ER, or a dishwasher coerced through debt bondage working unnoticed six days a week in your small town. Trafficking hides in plain sight…could you spot it?

That’s why New Jersey’s Section 2C:13-11 outreach is so important. That’s why we all need to keep listening, learning, paying attention. If you or someone you know ever needs help, the National Hotline is there 24/7. Call, text, chat online – however you can reach them, they’re ready to listen and connect you with support.

United across all 50 states, we can overcome this! Traffickers, your days are numbered in this country.

References

Text of New Jersey Statute Section 2C:13-11

New Jersey Overview from National Human Trafficking Hotline

Alliance for Children of New Jersey – Human Trafficking Resources