It's a Penalty Partners with Businesses to Stop Human Trafficking

It’s a Penalty combats human trafficking, exploitation, and abuse using large sporting events as a platform to drive local and global educational campaigns in host cities.

What does It’s a Penalty address, and what actions are being taken? 

Our vision is a world where no one is vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, or human trafficking.

It’s a Penalty runs global and local campaigns, leveraging the influence of major sporting events to prevent human trafficking.

Through campaigns, we do the following: 

• Educate people on human trafficking, warning signs, and penalties for offenders. 
• Equip individuals with local and global reporting mechanisms. 
• Encourage bystanders to report suspicious activity. 

 Our goal is to raise awareness, promote behavior change, and boost reporting. Through education on legal consequences, we aim to discourage exploitative practices while ensuring a lasting positive impact.

Key Actions: 

• Raising Awareness—We launch multiplatform campaigns featuring high-profile athletes and educational materials to help people recognize and report trafficking. 
• Strengthening Prevention—We provide individuals, businesses, and communities with tools on trafficking indicators and how to report.
• Mobilizing Partnerships—We collaborate with airlines, hotels, transport services, and sporting organizations to integrate anti-trafficking measures into global events. 
• Driving Systemic Change—We advocate for stronger policies, victim support, and long-term prevention strategies.

Results: 

It’s a Penalty campaigned during 20 sporting events, including 8 Super Bowls, and each had an average reach of 180 million individuals.

 It’s a Penalty, together with our partners, achieved the following: 

• Protected 17,028 victims of sexual exploitation and prevented thousands more from becoming victims.
• Trained 12,549 hospitality staff.
• Recovered more than 100 missing children.
• Campaigned in 11 countries.
• Worked with 17 airlines.

By using major sporting events as platforms, we ensure that communities, industries, and individuals are empowered to fight trafficking, not just during events, but year-round. 

How does It’s a Penalty partner with businesses to stop human trafficking?  

The organization partners with businesses across industries—sports, hospitality, travel, entertainment, and beyond—to combat trafficking through awareness, education, and prevention strategies.  

It’s a Penalty provides awareness and accountability as outlined below: 

Training and Education: We equip employees with the knowledge to identify and report trafficking through workshops, e-learning modules, and awareness materials. 

Supply Chain Accountability: We help businesses implement ethical practices to prevent labor trafficking and exploitation in their operations and supply chains.   

About the author

Michael Billet

Michael Billet, director of policy research for Employment Policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, keeps members and internal Chamber policy staff abreast of pending labor, immigration, and health care legislation, as well as federal regulatory and subregulatory activities. He is also responsible for planning the Chamber’s annual workplace and community wellness forum.

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