2025 Update from our TFZ Team
Our original plan was to partner with the Institute Against Human Trafficking. However, the organization shifted from a US-based approach to an international one and stopped supporting our work in the south shore. Several of our volunteers have been certified by Shared Hope International; therefore, we began to do the training and provide certificates ourselves.
We reintroduced the Trafficking Free Zone (TFZ) program in September. Our goal was to reach 300 people during the first year. During 2025:
*** We presented the TFZ concept to 249 people
*** Our traffic on the website and self-subscriptions to our mailing list have increased
by 24%
*** Evaluations were requested from all attendees, and the evaluations were 97%
positive with mostly 4 or 5 out of 5 in the responses
*** We now have nine more active volunteers to help get our message out.
During this year, we have come to see very clearly that human trafficking is a community problem, and the solution will need to be within the community. There was previously a limited understanding regarding the magnitude of this issue. Recent arrests and the successful rescue of multiple victims have contributed to increased public awareness. Furthermore, updated data from Miami-Dade County indicates that Hillsborough County now ranks first in per capita calls to the Human Trafficking Hotline within the state of Florida. There is an enormous need for education and preventive activities in the south shore, and CAHT is committed to helping fill that need.
Another shift this year is that our initial small outreach initiative has now become a regular feature of all our presentations to community organizations. By discussing these efforts, we’ve inspired churches and groups to take an active role rather than merely contributing money or goods.
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR DONORS AND VOLUNTEERS
CAHT’s Trafficking Free Zone Program – TFZ, is a community awareness program that informs and educates the residents of South Hillsborough County about human trafficking. This training will allow our residents to understand and recognize possible human trafficking, as well as to understand what to do if they see it.
Human trafficking, including both labor and sexual trafficking, is a $150 billion industry. It is often stated that the supply of trafficked individuals will persist as long as there is demand. Discussions with experts in the field suggest that education and training are effective methods for reducing demand.
CAHT’s objectives are:
- To reduce the demand for human trafficking.
- To teach residents to identify the signs of human trafficking
- To offer information so residents will know how to respond appropriately
With this information, individuals can assist in combating human trafficking.
During busy daily routines, people often focus on their tasks and may lose situational awareness, potentially missing important clues and signs of danger.
Understanding what to look for and recognizing signs of possible trafficking in friends and family members is a crucial aspect of helping to reduce human trafficking.
The TFZ Program involves attending the basic human trafficking training presentation. After the program, each resident is given a certificate of completion and welcomed into the trafficking free zone.
To begin the process, email CAHT – info@cahtfl.org to attend a human trafficking training session and receive a certificate as part of our Trafficking Free Zone