Dear John,

I have exciting news to share with you! Through a partnership with PayPal, we have launched a Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) at Polaris. The FIU will identify trends and patterns from U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline data and other sources to find innovative ways for financial institutions to combat human trafficking.

The FIU grew out of the findings from Polaris's seminal report, On-Ramps, Intersections, and Exit Routes: A Roadmap for Systems and Industries to Prevent and Disrupt Human Trafficking, which examined the roles of private and public-sector systems and industries on sex and labor trafficking ecosystems. Polaris identified the financial services industry as one that is frequently mis-used by traffickers across nearly all types of trafficking. This industry has long been an essential player in fighting human trafficking, and we're excited to see this partnership and the work of the FIU drive innovative ways to make it more risky and less profitable for traffickers to commit these crimes.

Human trafficking is a business, and the private sector -- and especially the financial services industry -- has a critical role to play in preventing and disrupting trafficking. 

2020 is set to be a big year for Polaris and I look forward to sharing updates with you about the impact of the FIU on our mission to eradicate human trafficking and restore freedom to survivors.

In Solidarity,

Nancy McGuire Choi
Interim CEO