Sex trafficking is one of the world’s most lucrative underground markets. However, a number of the women (some underage) are the slaves of their pimps or “managers,” without anywhere to turn. 200,000 calls were made in 2014 to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center to report suspected sex trafficking. As Cincinnati prepares to host the MLB All-Star Game next Tuesday, the city is also bracing itself for an influx of prostitutes. This is common with most major sporting events. With an estimated 40,000 baseball fans expected, the demand for sex will be higher than normal. Save Our Adolescents From Prostitution, a non-profit started by a sex trafficking survivor, is creatively taking action with special hotel soap.
According to the Huffington Post, he organization will distribute soaps to hotel with red tags reading:
“Are you being forced to do anything you don’t want to do? Have you been threatened if you try to leave? Have you witnessed young girls being prostituted? If so, please call: 1-888-373-7888 National Human Trafficking Hotline.”
Hotel soap was chosen because some of the only time that sex trafficking victims have alone is when they shower in their hotel rooms. The rest of the time, for the most part, their pimps stick to them like white on rice. It has been reported that several hotels in the area, including the Holiday Inn, are considering placing the soaps in their guest rooms. In addition to the soaps, the Cincinnati Fire Department has set up a 24-hour hotline for victims to call at 513-564-CALL.
Do you believe that this hotel soap strategy is an effective way to combat sex trafficking?