Several recent lawsuits have been filed by sex trafficking victims against major hotel chains, due to allegations that the hotels were negligent and did not take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of their customers.

Victims File Human Trafficking Lawsuits Against Major Hotel Chains

According to three recently filed human trafficking lawsuits against Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Choice Hotels International, and Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, the hotel chains were negligent about halting on-site prostitution at branches located in Houston.

According to the victims, signs of human trafficking are often visible and hotel workers should have been able to spot them. These signs may include poor grooming and hygiene, inappropriate clothing, or bruising or scars. Other signs may include paying for a room with cash, staying for an extended time with little or no personal possessions, excessive requests for linens and towels, and denying housekeepers access to the room.

One of the victims, identified as Jane Doe No. 6, claims she was 15 when she was trafficked at a Comfort Inn in 2016 for over a week. In her lawsuit, she claims that the hotel should have recognized that she was a victim, due to her age and the frequency with which men who were not customers of the hotel visited her room.

The victims in the lawsuits claim that human traffickers have taken advantage of the hotel chains’ reluctance to adopt anti-trafficking policies, train staff on how to recognize the signs of trafficking or institute safe reporting mechanisms. Although some of the hotels that have been sued by victims of human trafficking claim that they provide resources and training to employees to aid them in spotting the signs of abuse, most have declined to comment on the pending lawsuits.

Background on Human Trafficking

Human trafficking affects millions of people. According to the International Labour Organization, over 40 million people across the globe may be victims of human trafficking. Many of these victims may have been abused in hotels. One lawsuit filed in Portland in December 2019 estimated that as many as 60 percent of trafficking victims may have been housed in hotels.

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, 92 percent of the calls received by the number in 2014 involved human trafficking incidents at hotels. Additionally, according to statistics from one anti-trafficking organization, approximately 75 percent of trafficking victims were housed in a hotel at some point during their abuse.

If you or a loved one was a victim of human trafficking at a hotel, you may be eligible to hire a qualified attorney and file a class action lawsuit against the hotel chain. Victims who believe they can prove that the hotel was negligent in allowing the trafficking to occur may have a legal claim. Victims who file human trafficking lawsuits may be able to recover compensation for injuries, medical expenses, pain and suffering, and additional damages.

If you were a victim of sex trafficking and forced to work at a truck stop, hotel or motel, night club or other hotel venue, you may be eligible to move forward with a civil investigation against these businesses. This investigation involves a civil case, and is not a criminal case against you or your loved ones.

Top Class Actions is working with experienced human trafficking attorneys who will be informed and sensitive to your situation. Join the fight by filling out the short form on this page. 

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