Dear John,

Every time someone reaches out to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, it’s a courageous act. But it’s not always a cry for rescue. Often, it’s someone trying to make the safest choice in a dangerous situation.

That’s where your generosity makes a difference. Because of your commitment to ending human trafficking, we help survivors think through what safety looks like for them — not in theory, but in real time, one step at a time.

Whether someone is texting us from a hotel room or calling months after they’ve been out of the trafficking situation, our Hotline advocates meet them with care, respect, and one crucial question:

“What do you need to stay safe — right now, and long-term?”

Sometimes, that means helping someone figure out if it’s safe to walk out the door. Other times, it means staying on the line while they take a deep breath in the backseat of a cab, leaving their trafficker behind and moving toward freedom.

Always, it means centering their voice, their experience, and their choices.

Today, on World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, we’re reminded that trafficking doesn’t happen in isolation — and neither does the solution.  It takes a coordinated, survivor-informed effort to disrupt exploitation and support people on the path to lasting safety.

Because of your support, Polaris is able to be there — not only through the Hotline, but through survivor-informed strategies, tools, and resources that help people build a future beyond trafficking.

Thank you for answering the call alongside us, building a stronger movement against trafficking. Together, we’re creating real pathways to healing and hope.