Human Trafficking

Talking points for discussing Human Trafficking

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) is the nation’s leading voice promoting equity and education for women and girls. Since our founding in 1881, AAUW members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political.

  • Our nonpartisan, nonprofit organization has more than: 170,000 members and supporters, 1,000 local branches, and 800 college and university partners.
  •  AAUW’s member-approved Public Policy Program includes support for “national and international policies against human trafficking,” and this document guides the advocacy of AAUW national public policy staff and AAUW members nationwide.
  • AAUW members nationwide are leading efforts to fight human trafficking by starting petitions for legislative action, raising awareness (through film screenings such as this one!), and working to prevent sex trafficking during the 2014 Super Bowl.
  • Possible child prostitution at the 2014 Super Bowl prompted AAUW of New Jersey to act. The state organization joined with other members of the New Jersey Coalition against Human Trafficking to train hotel employees to watch for sex trafficking during the Super Bowl in February.
  • Also in New Jersey, which already has some of the nation’s strongest anti-human trafficking laws, AAUW members have created a petition to encourage the same level of protection through a federal law.
  • In Pennsylvania, AAUW members have started a petition to urge the state legislature to act, since Pennsylvania is one of only two states without a sex trafficking law.
    Both New Jersey’s and Pennsylvania’s efforts are part of the AAUW 2013–14 Public Policy Impact Grant program, which awards grants to states for policy work around priority issues. AAUW of Michigan has also chosen to work on human trafficking through an Impact Grant, and other states have focused on human trafficking at recent state conventions.