John,

As an ally, you may have noticed this problem — at the movies, on your favorite streaming service, and on your social channels:

Media has a blind spot around human trafficking. It looks like:

• ➢ Stereotyping people who experience exploitation.
• ➢ Misrepresenting what trafficking really is, and how it really happens.
• ➢ Unethically using survivor stories.
• ➢ Sensationalizing images and messages.
• ➢ Creating false narratives of “rescuers and saviors.”

These practices hurt our social justice movement. They harm victims and survivors by re-exploiting and re-traumatizing. And they distort what real trafficking looks like, making it harder for victims to seek and receive help.

As humans, we’re wired to make sense of the world through storytelling. It’s why Hollywood and Instagram are such powerful forces. It’s also why content creators must do better.

Here’s some good news:

Led by survivors, Polaris is offering tools for change.

I’m proud to have served as a consultant on Polaris’ new media guide. We’re helping content creators tell the real story of human trafficking. We’re sharing guidance and resources to get it right and make it matter.

Most importantly, we’re challenging media-makers to work in real partnership with survivors. Being faithful to the actual experiences of individuals is a crucial step toward positive impact versus doing harm.

This guide was informed by a diverse group of survivors of sex and labor trafficking. We’re empowered by creative collaborations like this. Being honored for both our lived and professional experience is dignifying. I know we can help others reclaim their dignity through the guide and all it promotes.

By awakening storytellers and audiences, change can happen.

You can be a catalyst. I hope you’ll check out the media guide to learn more — and share it with someone in your circles.