CLIMATE JUSTICE

OUR WORK IN LOS ANGELES

How LA’s Climate Emergencies Shaped Our Advocacy

In Los Angeles, the January 2025 wildfires brought the intersection of climate change and human trafficking into sharp focus. As entire neighborhoods were evacuated and emergency response systems struggled to meet the scale of need, our team witnessed how displaced individuals and workers recruited for recovery efforts, especially those already experiencing marginalization, faced the risks of exploitation. This moment made clear what we already knew: disaster response cannot be effective without being trauma-informed and rooted in anti-trafficking protections. It pushed us to press even harder for policy change that centers survivors and prevents harm before it begins.

Video: Natural Disasters & Human Trafficking

How Natural Disasters Increase the Risk of Human Trafficking – And What We Can Do About It.

Learn more about the connection between natural disasters and human trafficking, and how we can prevent exploitation before it happens. While the press conference mentioned in the video has already taken place, the information remains relevant and timely.

LOS ANGELES COUNTY


Motion	Preventing Trafficking in the Wake of Natural Disasters
Reports	LA County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs Internal Services Department
Media	Advocates, Public Officials, and Survivors of Human Trafficking Call for Urgent Protections for Workers During LA's Post-Fire Recovery (English, Spanish) Sunita Jain Anti-Trafficking Initiative Support Landmark LA County Motion to Prevent Human Trafficking After Disasters Community Advocates Respond to LA's County Report on Human Trafficking After Disasters Advocates Warn of Worker Exploitation in LA Fire Rebuilding Effort

CITY OF LOS ANGELES


Motion	Preventing Human Trafficking in the Wake of Natural Disasters
Media	Council Passes Motion to Prevent Human Trafficking in the Wake of Natural Disasters

PUBLIC AWARENESS

Tools to Recognize and Stop trafficking After Disasters

To support a coordinated and informed response risks of trafficking after natural disasters, we’ve developed a range of practical tools for community members, service providers, and recovery workers:

Social Media Toolkit: Designed to raise public awareness during and after disasters, this toolkit provides ready-to-use posts, graphics, and messaging to help communities recognize and prevent trafficking.

English

Spanish

Flyers for Recovery Workers

Distributed in areas affected by natural disasters, these multilingual flyers educate workers recruited for cleanup and rebuilding on how to recognize the warning signs of trafficking, and where to seek help, including national and local hotlines to access support services.

Download Flyers:

English

Spanish

Flyers for Community

Flyers designed for community members to identify signs of trafficking after disasters and access reliable local and national support resources.

Download

Guide For Service Providers

A short, easy-to-use guide to help service providers spot signs of trafficking during disaster response and connect people to the help they need.