Following allegations that Airbnb is not doing enough to combat human trafficking, the apartment and home rental company is partnering with a human trafficking non profit, as well as expanding its commitment to protecting renters and training employees to recognize the signs of exploitation.

Airbnb Teams Up With Human Trafficking Non Profit

Airbnb has announced its partnership with anti human trafficking non profit Polaris, an organization striving to end human trafficking. According to Polaris, nearly 25 million people across the globe are victims of human trafficking, including forced labor, prostitution, and other types of exploitation. After a 2018 study claimed that many as 81 percent of human trafficking incidents that involved sexual exploitation took place in hotels, many victims of sex trafficking have filed complaints or lawsuits against hotels, motels, and other rentals.

In order to counteract these reports, Airbnb announced plans to expand the company’s training curriculum for employees. The new curriculum will allegedly include training on how to spot signs of human trafficking, flag potential trafficking before it occurs, and improve reporting of potential or actual incidents. The training will also give employees information on how to cooperate with law enforcement.

Rather than simply focusing on the signs of trafficking, Airbnb’s new training may work to educate employees and rental hosts on additional details, including how people are recruited for trafficking, and how traffickers use financial systems. By understanding the nuances behind human trafficking cases, employees and hosts may be more prepared to identify and act when they suspect exploitation.

Cases of alleged sex trafficking crimes that took place at Airbnb sites have been reported from Utah and Toronto. In addition to the allegations of trafficking lodged against Airbnb, many other recent cases have reported trafficking incidents that took place at major hotel chains including Choice Hotels, Extended Stay America, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, and Marriott International. Approximately 1,500 victims have filed cases against various motels, hotels, and other rentals, claiming that these companies did not do enough to identify and prevent their abuse.

About Human Trafficking

Hundreds of thousands of people every year may fall victim to human trafficking. Many of these people may be housed in hotels, motels, or other rentals for all or part of their abuse. By training employees at these businesses to recognize the signs of forced labor, the hospitality industry may be able to provide support to victims of trafficking and abuse.

Common signs of human trafficking at a hotel may include paying for a room in cash, multiple male visitors visiting a solo female in a room, refusal to allow house keeping to enter the room, excessive requests for towels and linens, and odd behavior from the guest including poor hygiene, inappropriate clothing, or acting as though they are being watched.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of human trafficking at a hotel, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit against the hotel or rental company for failing to protect you. Hiring a qualified attorney to review your case may be the first step towards pursuing compensation and justice for your experiences.