TTU: Episode 103 - Truckers Against Trafficking with

Helen Hofer Show Notes

Episode Summary

Hello and welcome to Thru the Undertow. This week’s episode is

an interview with Helen Hofer from Truckers Against Trafficking. We discuss how

this amazing organization came to be and the great things they are doing to

help in the fight against trafficking.

Guest Bio

Truckers Against Trafficking is an organization created to

educate, equip, empower, and mobilize members of the trucking, bus and energy

industries to combat human trafficking. It began

as an initiative of Chapter 61 Ministries in 2009 but became its own 501c3 in

2011.

Helen Hofer is the Director of the Freedom Driver’s

Project at Truckers Against Trafficking. As such, she utilizes the first-of-its-kind mobile exhibit to

educate audiences across the US about the realities of trafficking and how the

trucking and bus industries are driving change in this area. She has managed

trailer and event logistics for over 140 events in 40 states hosted by

companies, state agencies, associations and community organizations. She is

also the Salesforce Administrator, where she co-leads their team to full Salesforce

adoption. Helen joined Truckers Against Trafficking in 2015.

TW/CW

Tr*ff*cking,

br*nding, as*ault, s*xu*l ab*se, pr*st*tution

Timecode

points of interest:

01:00 – Welcome

Helen

01:09 –

Helen Hofer is the Freedom Driver’s Project Director for TAT. She manages

outreach and events. While she previously had no experience in the trucking

industry, Helen did have experience in the anti-trafficking movement.

01:46 –

Truckers Against Trafficking works specifically with the trucking industry including

the bus industry and the oil and gas industry and newly with wind and solar to

train CDL drivers to recognize and report suspected instances of human

trafficking to the National Trafficking Hotline.

02:37 – TAT

has free industry specific training videos along with wallet cards, posters,

and other training materials to give out to drivers.

02:57 –

TAT’s mission is to educate, empower, equip, and mobilize members of the

trucking, bus, and energy industries to combat human trafficking as a part of

their everyday jobs. We do that through saturating the industries with our

materials, training law enforcement, and partnering with the industry to help move

their mission forward.

04:08 – TAT

works with motorcoach transit, but also school bus drivers.

05:13 – How

Truckers Against Trafficking came about.

06:51 – The

level of impact that truckers can have on this issue.

07:45 –

Truckers are trained to more frequently observe and report as opposed to

intervene directly. Collecting as much information as possible without

interacting, if possible. They are also trained to look for certain signs of

trafficking such as branding, eye contact, minor involved, other individuals

involved.

10:45 –

Calling the National Trafficking Hotline can allow the hotline to take down

details and connect potential victims with law enforcement, advocates, and

resources.

11:05 –

TAT’s primary tools and resources are their free training videos available on

their website. The trucking video is on the home page. Others are located

through their programs tab. Wallet cards also have detailed information...