There’s a story going around about the Super Bowl that isn’t supported by data. Every year, some iteration of the claim that the Super Bowl is the number one hot spot for human trafficking is credulously repeated by journalists, law enforcement and politicians. Each and every year, however, that claim is entirely false, according to experts in the field. Kate D’Adamo is a longtime sex workers’ rights advocate who has worked with various sex worker advocacy groups over the years. She currently serves on the board of directors for the Woodhull Freedom Foundation. Law&Crime reached out to D’Adamo for comment on the enduring sex trafficking claim viz. Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta. “Every year, we see the same misinformation used as an excuse to increase policing and surveillance despite constant myth busting,” she said via email. “In Atlanta they’ve already said they’re engaged in sting operations involving more than 40 law enforcement agencies–in a city which has the greatest income disparity in America.” The Super Bowl sex trafficking myth, it appears, is one of the few things that all sides of the ongoing sex work vs. sex trafficking debate actually agree upon. A bit context is necessary here: there is currently an international struggle effectively pitting most law enforcement and western politicians against organized sex workers and almost all public health authorities and public health advocacy groups. The basic issue is that lawmakers and their allies want to keep or make sex work a crime while most sex workers and public health experts believe it should be legalized or decriminalized. Many sex workers want their jobs to be treated more or less like other forms of employment under the law. “Criminalization and the severe stigma attached to sex work gives license to those who commit crimes of violence against sex workers and deny their humanity,” the Red Umbrella Fund notes. “Sex workers would not be at such high risk of violence if they were respected as people and as workers, and if they felt free to seek help and protection without fear of being stigmatized [and] jailed.” Public health experts are largely in agreement. A near-consensus of the available research and official statements from public health organizations argue that the best way to make sex work safer for workers, clients and society at large is some form of legal sanction. “[A]ll countries should work toward decriminalization of sex work and elimination of the unjust application of non-criminal laws and regulations against sex workers,” the World Health Organization noted in 2012. Anti-sex trafficking groups variously come down on either side of this debate–depending on how they view the basic nature of sex work. The Polaris Project is one of the most prominent anti-sex trafficking groups in the world; they maintain the National Human Trafficking Hotline–which is funded in part by the U.S. public through governmental grants. Polaris makes no distinction between voluntary sex work and coerced sex trafficking–a position heavily criticized by sex workers and public health advocates alike. But even Polaris doesn’t buy the Super Bowl sex-trafficking story line and a blog entry on their website describes that narrative as one of the “the myths and misconceptions surrounding human trafficking.” Oppositely, the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women (GAATW) is a coalition of over 80 non-governmental organizations across the world that views trafficking through a human rights lens and doesn’t prioritize law enforcement solutions. GAATW explicitly distinguishes between coerced and voluntary sex work and works with sex worker organizing groups on the ground. In 2011, GAATW published an extensive debunking of the Super Bowl sex trafficking myth: Hyperbolic claims about floods or invasions of 10,000 to 100,000 sex workers to the Super Bowl has been widely repeated by American media, as has Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s unfounded claim that “the Super Bowl is one of the biggest human trafficking events in the United States.” GAATW’s 75-page report actually found that cities hosting the Super Bowl tend to arrest around the same number of prostitutes as usual–even though such cities heavily increase their law enforcement attention to prostitution in the weeks leading up to the big game. The largest victim-services non-profit in the United States is SafeHorizon. They don’t officially take sides in the ongoing sex work debate. And they’re fed up with the Super Bowl sex trafficking myth as well. “The Super Bowl is often referred to as the single largest human trafficking incident in the United States,” SafeHorizon notes. “This simply isn’t true. The Super Bowl sex trafficking hype is just that. It’s a myth based on speculation and not hard numbers.” SafeHorizon’s criticism continues [italics in original]: One of the most common [claims] is that in 2010, allegedly more than 10,000 exploited women and girls were trafficked to Miami for the Super Bowl. This number is false. It has been incorrectly attributed to The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children which denied the statistic in a statement, noting that “No one knows with certainty the exact number of children exploited through sex trafficking in the United States or during events like the Super Bowl.” Kate D’Adamo also expanded her earlier critique to catalogue broader labor rights issues: But this doesn’t just harm people who trade sex–it lets everyone ignore that this event is run on temporary, precarious and exploitative labor. It says that anti trafficking work is a sting operation and [ignores] the hospitality workers, striking metro workers and concession sellers whose sweat will be exploited over the next week for an event that will make the NFL hundreds of millions of dollars. [image via Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images] Have a tip we should know? [email protected]<doc-sep>ATLANTA – Sierra Thompson was 18 when she was flown to Houston by a man she met on Instagram. The man had flaunted a flashy lifestyle of fancy cars, expensive jewelry and designer clothes. Their first day together consisted of conversation, drugs and sex. On the second day, she says, the man lured her to a small Houston strip club to dance for money. So began a three-year ordeal of being sold to strangers for sex in cities around the country – including Honolulu during the 2016 NFL Pro Bowl. "A messed-up person messed me up," Thompson says. She eventually broke away from her pimp and returned to Atlanta. As more than 1 million people descend on the city for Super Bowl LIII on Sunday, she's working with victim advocates, law enforcement officers, former NFL players and others to help break up the sex trafficking they say the event attracts. "It's not necessarily about football or the NFL," says Courtney Dow, an outreach coordinator for the Atlanta-based nonprofit Dream Center. "It's just about when groups of men get together, usually trafficking and exploitation increases. "They're on vacation, their wives and girlfriends aren't with them, and it's also a boys' club, and it's time for boys to be boys." Organizers are telling airport staff, hotel managers and retail workers how to spot traffickers and victims, and to intervene when necessary. Visitors arriving at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport this week heard an anti-trafficking public service announcement on the terminal train. Volunteers, meanwhile, are visiting hotels, strip clubs, bus stations and convenience stores to give out information about services to victims. It's part of a larger effort to get bystanders to recognize trafficking, and to stop it when it occurs. Different campaigns have focused on spreading awareness among air crews, hotel workers and long-haul truckers. Others have sprung up around major events: The North American International Auto Show in Detroit, NBA All-Star Weekend and the FIFA World Cup have also sparked campaigns to fight sex trafficking. Some say the effort is misguided. Annalee Lepp, founder of the Global Alliance Against Traffic in Women Canada, says research shows little increase in trafficking around large events. Lepp, a professor of gender studies at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, says fans attend major sporting events primarily to watch the game. She says sex traffickers generally avoid such events because they bring a heightened police presence. Bradley Miles, CEO of the nonprofit Polaris, says focusing on large events obscures a larger problem. "We actually think that trafficking is a major issue 365 days a year," Miles said. "There are no new traffickers (at the Super Bowl). The same 20,000 pimps are moving around to where the action is." More:Branson man caught in Super Bowl sex trafficking sting, Minnesota authorities say More:Group unveils $1M plan to address Super Bowl sex trafficking More:Ahead of the game on sex trafficking during Super Bowl Law enforcement officials say sex trafficking is a concern around Super Bowl festivities. The Atlanta Police Department has trained officers on identifying victims. The department is also setting up an operations center to monitor human trafficking. Eric Pauley, supervisor of the FBI's Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force, says authorities here rescue 75 to 100 child sex trafficking victims each year. Pauley says he expects many sex traffickers to travel to Atlanta this week to capitalize on the influx of visitors. He said the greatest surge during major events comes from online solicitation. There are an estimated 40.3 million victims of human trafficking globally, according to the International Labour Organization. Thompson, now 23, earned a GED through Wellspring Living, an organization that serves sex trafficking victims. She now works as an administrative assistant for a law firm. Wellspring Living is among the organizations working with the Dream Center. Wellspring Living founder Mary Frances Bowley said her team has been visiting convenience stores and putting stickers on bathroom stalls with emergency hotline numbers for victims. She's advising store and hotel workers to look out for older men who appear to be controlling children. “This is a platform to help people understand what trafficking is, so even when the Super Bowl is not here, people know what to look for," Bowley said. Former NFL players have recorded an anti-trafficking video now on YouTube. "The simple fact of bringing awareness to human trafficking is a priority," said DJ Shockley, a former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons. "Many people have no idea this is happening really close to them." "The mission is to rescue and restore," former Falcon Alge Crumpler said.<doc-sep>Over 30 people have been arrested on sex-trafficking charges during a planned operation in the lead-up to the Super Bowl. Federal law enforcement officials announced Wednesday they have arrested 33 people in metro Atlanta for sex trafficking. Authorities said they had also rescued four victims as part of the operation, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Campaigners have warned that large sporting events such as the Super Bowl are attractive to those in the sex trafficking trade. Kirstjen Nielsen, Secretary of Homeland Security, (pictured) outlined security plans for Super Bowl 53 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta Sex crimes can surge when lots of free-spending travelers are around and in one concentrated area. The arrests were made over the past four days, according to Nick Annan, Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge. He declined to give further details on the arrests and said ongoing efforts will continue throughout the week. 'We plan to continue what we’re doing,' Annan said. Homeland Security assisted in a joint operation in Douglas County using undercover officers, social media sites and local hotel rooms on January 23 and 24, the Douglasville Police Department said. Sixteen people were arrested, according to police, and the youngest person involved was 17. Nick Annan, Homeland Security Investigations special agent, (pictured), said 33 arrests were made over four days The timing of the crackdown was related to the Super Bowl, police said. More than 40 local and state law enforcement agencies, along with 25 federal agencies, are assisting with security for the Super Bowl. Officers and security members have been visible throughout downtown Atlanta where events have been held, and those efforts will continue until hours after the big game. Police have warned fans about fake tickets being sold and investigators have also found more than 2,000 counterfeit items, according to Kirstjen Nielsen, Secretary of Homeland Security. Cops warned ticket-buyers to purchase only from a reputable source. They also explained that it may be difficult for fans to distinguish real tickets from counterfeit ones even though legitimate tickets contain a special NFL hologram. Shields encouraged those heading to the game or other Super Bowl events to plan ahead and rely on public transportation. For those who insist on driving, secure valuables ahead of time, she said. Call 911 or alert an officer to anything suspicious. But above all, Shields encouraged fans to have fun. The Superbowl game featuring the New England Patriots against the Los Angeles Rams will take place in the Mercedes Benz Stadium (pictured) on Sunday 'This is a fantastic city. We really want people to come and just have a great time.' Atlanta police Chief Erika Shields outlined their security plans during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon at the Georgia World Congress Center. Shields said security planning for the Super Bowl began over two years ago, and so far everything is going according to plan.<doc-sep>A mural of George Floyd is shown in the intersection of 38th St & Chicago Ave on March 31, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Community members continue preparations during the third day in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who is charged with multiple counts of murder in the death of George Floyd. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 01: President Donald Trump's lawyer and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani talks to journalists outside the White House West Wing July 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. Giuliani did an on-camera interview with One America News Network's Chanel Rion before talking to other journalists about Vice President Joe Biden and the news that Russian intelligence may have paid Taliban operatives to kill U.S. troops in Afghanistan. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) ORLANDO, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Former President Donald Trump addresses the Conservative Political Action Conference held in the Hyatt Regency on February 28, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Begun in 1974, CPAC brings together conservative organizations, activists, and world leaders to discuss issues important to them. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images) NEW YORK, NY - FEBRUARY 09: People walk past the Trump Tower as the impeachment trial of Donald Trump begins in Washington on February 09, 2021 in New York City. After listening to nearly four hours of legal arguments, the Senate has voted on Tuesday to move ahead with the impeachment trial of former President Trump. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 20: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers remarks on the conflict in the Middle East from Cross- Hall of the White House on May 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Israel and Hamas announced that they would agree to a cease-fire, which will take into effect on Friday, following days of fighting that claimed more than 200 lives. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 26: A view of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) light-rail yard where a mass shooting occurred on May 26, 2021 in San Jose, California. A VTA employee opened fire at the yard, with preliminary reports indicating nine people dead including the gunman. (Photo by Philip Pacheco/Getty Images) A healthcare worker prepares to administer a Pfizer/BioNTEch coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine at The Michener Institute, in Toronto, Ontario on December 14, 2020. - Ontario, Canada's most populous province and one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, had 1,940 new cases and 23 deaths on Monday. The province is expected to give its next doses to nursing home workers as a priority, according to media reports. (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CARLOS OSORIO/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Memorial Day weekend will bring rain and cool air for much of the East The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight restriction within a 30-nautical-mile radius of the Mercedes-Benz stadium from Friday until after the game on Sunday. Editor’s Note: March 14 is #MyFreedomDay, when schools around the world will raise awareness of modern slavery. Find out more at cnn.com/myfreedom (CNN) — The 2019 Super Bowl has drawn thousands of people to the host city of Atlanta, but not everyone’s in town to join in on the festivities. Volunteers and outreach services from across the country are working with city agencies to use the biggest sporting event in the United States to open the public’s eyes to human trafficking, the crime of forcing someone to perform sex or labor for profit. Some groups claim that the influx of crowds for the Super Bowl contributes to an increase in sex trafficking. But leading anti-trafficking groups, such as Polaris Project and the International Human Trafficking Institute, say no evidence supports the claim. Trafficking occurs year-round in communities around the country, they say, and that’s where prevention efforts are most needed. But that’s not stopping outreach groups or the city of Atlanta from raising the issue during Super Bowl. January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, which is why the issue is already more prominent now than at any other time of the year. And, with the Super Bowl drawing large crowds to Atlanta, city officials, outreach groups and activists say they see an opportunity for a widescale public awareness initiative. The campaigns coincide with law enforcement efforts to step up patrols as crowds descend upon a city that its mayor says ranks third in the country for reports of human trafficking. Sarah Morgan/AP A line of school buses with new decals to draw attention to human trafficking make their way on a road in Atlanta on January 2. The nature of human trafficking – be it for labor or sex – is complex, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told the CNN Freedom Project. That’s why the city is spreading the message now, when they have the public’s attention. “The Super Bowl is an opportunity for us to talk about it, but it’s something we have to be vigilant about 12 months out of the year,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told CNN. “It’s about making sure that the thousands of men and women who work in our hotels understand what the signs are. It’s about making sure our police officers understand what the signs are. It’s about making sure the public is informed.” What the groups are doing The extra dose of messaging is all over the city. Posters in the airport, convenience stores and gas stations list the warning signs of trafficking and a hotline number. Delta Air Lines’ inflight videos carry the message, too. In churches in Atlanta throughout January, groups held public information sessions on how to spot trafficking in communities. Volunteers went into hotels to share the signs with employees. Theresa Flores arrived in Atlanta in mid-January with more than 60,000 bars of soap. On each, a message: “Are you being forced to do anything you do not want to do? Have you been threatened if you try to leave? Text HELP to BE FREE 233733.”<doc-sep>
Normer Adams, a man I’ve known for decades and who deals with battered and abused kids, wrote: “I am glad someone had the courage to reveal the truth about this myth. I have been hearing about it for years and, yes, any child sold for sex is a tragedy, but exaggerating the extent of it harms the credibility of all child advocates. For years, it has been whispered behind the scenes by child advocates that the numbers were just not there.” He said too much attention and too many resources are focused on the crime, but “child sex trafficking is often the result of child abuse and neglect. Attack it, and you will attack child sex trafficking.” I also wrote that an AJC colleague years ago debunked the well-worn story that Atlanta was a hub of child sex trafficking. (Atlanta police Chief Erica Shields said this week, "That label is really unfairly applied to the city.") The column ended by citing reports that Super Bowl cities in the past decade had vice arrests ranging from 40 to 200. Now, Super Bowl LIII's sordid tally is in: According to the FBI, a sex-trafficking law enforcement operation in the region brought in 169 arrests during the 11 days leading up to the game. That puts Atlanta on the high end of the scale compared to arrests in other Super Bowl cities. The FBI said 26 “traffickers” were arrested, which outnumbers those who were allegedly being trafficked — nine adult women and nine minors. Law enforcement people said they can’t talk about the victims, so it’s nearly impossible to ascertain their circumstances and situations. The only other number released was 34 — the number of men arrested for allegedly trying to engage in sex acts with minors. This is a now-common sting where a creepy guy goes on the internet to line up a “date” with a girl, not a woman, and instead ends up in the arms of burly cops. In these crimes there is no “victim” per se, just willing offenders. “Thankfully, there’s not a victim because law enforcement is intervening,” said Eric Pauley, an FBI supervisor who heads the local trafficking task force. The repeated occurrence of such arrests “clearly demonstrates that this exists.” Or at least that there’s a demand. FBI sources I spoke with after the official news release said 21 of the 34 suspects arrested as alleged Johns were nabbed in a sting set up in Brookhaven — one that had gone on for months with 22 agencies involved, and that was sprung to coincide with the Super Bowl for maximum publicity impact. If the world is watching and expecting this kind of behavior, then law enforcement must deliver. Plus, it sends a message to potential perverts. The alleged Johns in the Brookhaven roundup were a motley crew evenly spread from black to white to brown, ranging from age 20 to 55. Their photos and job IDs debunk the storyline of high-rollers coming to town for exploitative sex. These guys were mostly local mopes working regular and low-level jobs. This image provided by the Department of Homeland Security shows a poster that’s part of the Blue Campaign to raise public awareness of human trafficking. The government’s numbers leave more than 100 arrests unaccounted for, but a quick check of local jails shows most of those will be prostitution related. “Sex trafficking is embedded in prostitution,” said Pauley. “That’s where you find it.” A check of DeKalb County’s jail found 28 women arrested for prostitution in the 11 days preceding the game and 12 arrests for pimping. I could find none for solicitation (being a John), other than the Brookhaven bunch. Nineteen of the prostitution arrests in DeKalb and nine of the pimping arrests were made in Dunwoody. Seven of the alleged prostitutes were from out of state but almost all the pimps were Georgians. Douglasville police and a Homeland Security crew rounded up 16 people. A check of the jail log shows that most were prostitutes, although there was an alleged pimp, a panderer and an alleged trafficker. All locals. In the old days, these would be called vice roundups, but the term “human trafficking” delivers a stronger emotional punch and mobilizes activists and law enforcement agencies to jump into the fray. Prostitution arrests, including those of girls under 18, have dropped for years.