General Resources

Many federal agencies are involved in the effort to combat human trafficking. The Attorney General's Annual Report to Congress and Assessment of U.S. Government Activities to Combat Trafficking in Persons Report (FY2015) [PDF2.1MB] provides a review of federal efforts to address human trafficking. The Federal Strategic Action Plan (FY2013) promotes the coordination of federal agencies to respond to human trafficking. Below is a diagram depicting the variety of agencies and their respective capacities. Click on each link to learn more about the resources they offer to the field. The National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking (2021) [PDF 793KB] promotes the coordination of federal agencies to respond to human trafficking. The National Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, from the Department of Justice [PDF 900KB], summarizes the actions that different components of DOJ are taking to investigate and prosecute human trafficking and provides further background on other Department anti-trafficking efforts. Below is a diagram depicting the variety of agencies and their respective capacities.

The United States Advisory Council on Human Trafficking Annual Report 2022 - United States Department of State provides recommendations from the US Advisory council on Human Trafficking. Access the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons - The White House fact sheet.

U.S. Government Anti-Trafficking Roles

Figure created by the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center as part of the National Human Trafficking Assessment, 2014.

Non-Federal Resources

In addition to federal resources, there are many state, local, and non-governmental organizations that provide a variety of training and technical assistance resources, victim identification, service and prosecution tools and resources, as well as outreach materials. The sites below were selected because they have various resources and information about human trafficking from different disciplinary perspectives. OVC TTAC neither endorses, has any responsibility for, nor exercises any control over these organizations' views or the accuracy of the information contained in those pages outside of OVC TTAC's Web site. If you know of other websites or resources we can include, please let us know at humantrafficking@ovcttac.org. Though not an exhaustive list, they include:

American Bar Association The American Bar Association is one of the world's largest voluntary professional organizations, with nearly 400,000 members and more than 3,500 entities. It is committed to doing what only a national association of attorneys can do: serving its members, improving the legal profession, eliminating bias and enhancing diversity, and advancing the rule of law throughout the United States and around the world. Founded in 1878, the ABA is committed to supporting the legal profession with practical resources for legal professionals while improving the administration of justice, accrediting law schools, establishing model ethical codes, and more. Membership is open to lawyers, law students, and others interested in the law and the legal profession.

Child Welfare Information Gateway The Child Information Gateway promotes the safety, permanency, and well-being of children, youth, and families by connecting child welfare, adoption, and related professionals as well as the general public to electronic publications, websites, databases, and online learning tools and other resources and tools covering topics on child welfare, child abuse and neglect, out-of-home care, adoption, and more. Child Welfare Information Gateway consolidates and builds upon the services formerly provided by the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect Information and the National Adoption Information Clearinghouse.

Human Trafficking Collective (HTC) The OVC's HTC provides support for OVC's funded victim service grantees. Join the listserv to stay up to date on current trainings and offerings.

International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) The IACP works to advance professional police services; promote enhanced administrative, technical, and operational police practices; foster cooperation and the exchange of information and experience among police leaders and police organizations of recognized professional and technical standing throughout the world. IACP is a membership based organization that conducts trainings and conferences as well as maintains an extensive resource and publication library. IACP's publications-aimed at helping law enforcement executives do their jobs better-are available in a variety of formats – e-mail, print, and Websites – and cover a variety of topics, including professional development, leadership, management, and supervision, as well as hot topics such as ethics.

The Freedom Network The Freedom Network is a national coalition of anti-trafficking service organizations and advocates. Freedom Network membership is open to individuals and independent NGOs that provide services to or engage in advocacy on behalf of persons trafficked into or within the United States. The Freedom Network also hosts annual conferences, training events and outreach and awareness resources.

The National Center for Trauma-Informed Care (NCTIC) NCTIC provides on-site training and technical assistance to nearly every state in the country to develop and improve trauma-informed environments across the spectrum of public health programs. Training and technical assistance is provided to residential programs; criminal justice and homeless programs; networks of training, educational, and learning collaboratives; community-based agencies; and less formal gatherings of people seeking trauma support.

National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) NHTRC is a national anti-trafficking hotline and resource center serving victims and survivors of human trafficking and the anti-trafficking community in the United States. This toll-free hotline is available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year in more than 200 languages. The NHTRC is available for reporting tips, connecting with service providers in your area, as well as various anti-trafficking resources and tools. The NHTRC can be accessed by calling 1-888-373-7888 or emailing nhtrc@polarisproject.org.

National Sheriffs' Association Chartered in 1940, the National Sheriffs' Association is a professional association dedicated to serving the Office of Sheriff and its affiliates through police education, police training, and general law enforcement information resources. NSA represents thousands of sheriffs, deputies and other law enforcement, public safety professionals, and concerned citizens nationwide. NSA serves as the center of a vast network of law enforcement information, filling requests for information daily and enabling criminal justice professionals, including police officers, sheriffs, and deputies, to locate the information and programs they need.

Polaris Project Polaris Project's mission is to provide human trafficking victims and survivors with access to critical support and services to get help and stay safe, and to equip the anti-trafficking community with the tools to effectively combat all forms of human trafficking. From working with government leaders to protect victims' rights, to building partnerships with the world's leading technology corporations, Polaris Project focuses its efforts on identifying, reporting and eliminating trafficking networks. Polaris Project offers offers a national information, reporting and referral service that can be accessed via text message by texting BeFree (233733). They also provide innovative anti-trafficking trainings, technical assistance, and capacity building support.

Project Roadmap Project Roadmap delivers a wide range of TTA services to local, state, Tribal jurisdictions, and service providers receiving funding under the Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking Program, and others as identified by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). All efforts support task forces with capacity building and implementation strategies to develop and sustain a high functioning collaborative task force. Project Roadmap manages and facilitates a peer liaison program, conducts site assessments, assists with strategic planning, and convenes events to explore and identify gaps in emerging issues to recommend training solutions for multidisciplinary task force teams.

Shared Hope International Shared Hope International strives to prevent the conditions that foster sex trafficking, restore victims of sex slavery, and bring justice to vulnerable women and children. Shared Hope offers an extensive library of resources, including films, fact sheets, training materials, and other tools focused on child sex trafficking.

Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute The mission of the Trauma Center is to help individuals, families and communities that have been impacted by trauma and adversity to re-establish a sense of safety and predictability in the world, and to provide them with state-of-the-art therapeutic care as they reclaim, rebuild, and renew their lives. The Trauma Center works on development, adaptation, careful evaluation, and advancement of innovative and proven approaches to trauma recovery and personal growth for children and adults.

Below is an index of all e-Guide chapter, section and topic-specific resource pages:

Chapter 2 Resources: Purpose & Focus

Chapter 3 Resources: Operating a Task Force

Chapter 4 Resources: Supporting Victims

Chapter 5 Resources: Building Strong Cases

Chapter 6 Resources: The Role of Courts