9 February 2024
(NewsNation) — With tens of thousands flooding into Las Vegas for the Super Bowl on Sunday, one nonprofit is partnering with the police to keep people, particularly young women, safe.
Signs of Hope, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting survivors of sexual violence and human trafficking, has joined forces with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department to address the anticipated surge in human trafficking during the Super Bowl festivities.
Kim Small, CEO of Signs of Hope, highlighted the correlation between major events and an increase in human trafficking. “When large events come to Las Vegas, we see a rise in these numbers,” Small said during an interview on “NewsNation Now.”
It’s Las Vegas’ first time hosting the event, and officials expect it to draw more than 330,000 visitors.
Despite conflicting beliefs about a significant increase in human trafficking during the Super Bowl, Small emphasized that the issue extends beyond specific events.
“It’s a daily problem that we encounter here in Southern Nevada,” she stated. “We rank in the top three in the nation for human trafficking, both sexual trafficking and labor trafficking.”
During a news conference on Super Bowl safety earlier, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas outlined efforts to train Lyft drivers to identify potential trafficking victims. “This outreach will ultimately help teach 1 million Lyft drivers key indicators that a rider may be a victim of human trafficking,” Mayorkas said.
In addition to training rideshare drivers, authorities are also urging TSA officers to be vigilant for signs of trafficking. Small advised officers to look for signs of control and coercion, such as individuals being unable to speak freely or displaying timid behavior.