The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is launching a new challenge to organizations with successful innovative and life-changing approaches to address human trafficking prevention among women and girls in the United States.
Through the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health Office on Women’s Health, the national competition will award programs that demonstrate effectiveness in preventing human trafficking and/or improving health outcomes related to human trafficking among women and girls, sustainable program practices, and the ability of the program to be expanded and/or replicated.
The challenge was announced Thursday at the HHS National Human Trafficking Prevention Summit.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline estimates that 26.7 million people were impacted globally by human trafficking in 2021. Human trafficking is a crime that exploits a person for compelled labor, services or commercial sex acts.
“Human trafficking disproportionately impacts some of the most vulnerable and underserved members of our society,” said ADM Rachel L. Levine, HHS Assistant Secretary for Health. “This challenge is one example of a multi-pronged national effort to prevent and end this abhorrent practice that destroys lives.”
While anyone can be a victim of human trafficking, Black, Latino, American Indian, Alaska Natives, Asians, Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, LGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities and individuals with low income are among the populations that are most vulnerable to human trafficking.
Migration or relocation, substance use, unstable housing, abuse, childhood trauma and mental health issues can also increase the risk.
Human trafficking can cause toxic stress that wears down immunity, contributing to risk of liver disease, chronic renal disease and other autoimmune and neurological disorders.
“Women and girls’ safety, health and wellbeing are significantly impacted by trafficking,” said Deputy Assistant Secretary for Women’s Health Dr. Dorothy Fink. “OWH is pleased to begin identifying and awarding programs that demonstrate effectiveness in preventing human trafficking and/or improving health outcomes related to trafficking among women and girls.”
The challenge has two phases:
- Phase 1 will award 20 prizes of $50,000 to existing, innovative programs that have demonstrated outcomes in successfully preventing human trafficking and/or improving health outcomes related to human trafficking among women and girls.
- Phase 2 will offer eight awards up to $100,000 that will go to the programs in Phase 1 that have successfully expanded and/or replicated to increase the impact of their program in preventing human trafficking and/or improving health outcomes related to human trafficking on women and girls.
For more information on the competition, visit challenge.gov
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Crystal Graham
