US State Department Endorses British Charity’s AI Tool to Fight Human Trafficking

STOP THE TRAFFIK created the Traffik Analysis Hub in collaboration with IBM in 2018. The data hub collects data from a range of sources including leading non-profit organisations, law enforcement and open-source data. It is then able to analyse the data, allowing the STOP THE TRAFFIK Intelligence Team to provide Exploitation Analytics reports to those on the frontline fighting human trafficking and businesses such as banks and technology platforms, who may see traffickers’ profits pass through their accounts.

It is also used by over 200+ organisations and 500+ users who have access to the information to prevent human trafficking.

According to the US State Department’s annual Trafficking in Persons report, the tool provides vital insight into patterns and hotspots of trafficking incidents.

The report states: ‘The Traffik Analysis Hub is another example of a global solution that supports joint analysis of large AI-generated data sets, providing partners with the ability to pool data assets to generate new insights into patterns and hotspots of trafficking incidents.’

Ruth Dearnley, Chief Executive of STOP THE TRAFFIK, says the endorsement is a culmination of years of hard work:

‘We know that to fight human trafficking at scale, technology needs to be employed. Our Traffik Analysis Hub is unique and has had some of the best IT brains in the world developing it alongside commercial organisations, law enforcement and the vital sharing of civil society data. At the heart of the hub are stories from those with lived experience that help us create a world different to the one from which they were exploited.’

‘To be recognised in the US State Department’s TIP report, which is widely considered to provide the leading insight into the global fight against modern slavery, is extraordinary. As a team we are delighted.’

Background information:

STOP THE TRAFFIK prevents human trafficking before it happens by being intelligence led and data driven. Set up 20 years ago, STOP THE TRAFFIK utilises data and intelligence to actively disrupt the business of human traffickers across three pillars of recruitment, demand and money. Recruitment is disrupted utilising geo-targeted prevention programmes aimed at those vulnerable to trafficking, giving advice and guidance and sign-posting safe organisations on the ground; demand is disrupted by advising businesses about their potential exposure to exploited people across supply chains; money is disrupted by working with commercial organisations to trace the profits of human traffickers.

The Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report is an annual status update on the state of global anti-trafficking efforts. Each year, the U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office) releases the report with individual grades and summaries outlining the progress made by countries around the world. It is one of the most important diplomatic tools in the global fight to end modern slavery.