By
Diana Stancu

Human trafficking, or modern-day slavery, is one of the most widespread crimes in the world, counting 40,3 million victims and an illegal industry worth $150 billion in profit. Fortunately, many charities worldwide are fighting to prevent and stop the exploitations while rescuing and alleviating the victims. So we had to ask: What are the best charities that fight to end human trafficking?

The best charities that fight to end human trafficking are CAST, Polaris, and Hope for Justice. Other charities, like Stop the Traffik, Free the Slaves, and the International Justice Mission aim to end exploitations by arresting the traffickers and rehabilitating their victims.

Whether you want to support the victims of human trafficking to rebuild their lives, contribute to the arrest of perpetrators, or support policies that will put a stop to this crime, there is a charity for you. Keep reading to learn more about what the best charities that fight to end human trafficking are all about, how they work, and what would be your best way to make a contribution.

Here’s What All the Best Charities That Fight to End Human Trafficking Have in Common

The charities on this list were chosen based on their impact, achievements, and transparency ratings.

They operate all over the world, from North America to East Asia, and they all share the same goal of combatting human trafficking and modern slavery in all their forms.

Most of these charities focus on identifying and rescuing the victims from perpetrators and providing aftercare services, like counseling, sheltering, and rehabilitation.

They also partner with law enforcement institutions to arrest and imprison the traffickers. Many of these charities collaborate with governments and financial institutions to implement policies that will change the broken systems that allow the exploitations to exist.

Yet, they all aim to break the cycle of abuse and put an end to human trafficking and modern slavery for good.

These Are the 9 Best Charities That Fight to End Human Trafficking in 2024

Below are our favorite charities that fight to end human trafficking (you can click on their link to directly jump to their section in this article):

(At the end of this article we’ll also share our six-step approach on how you can select the best charity to support.)

Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking (CAST): A Survivor-Centered Approach to Ending Slavery

The Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, with a 100% score for leadership and adaptability. They also hold a Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. 

“Ending modern slavery through education, advocacy and empowering survivors of human trafficking.”

Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking

The Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking works to put an end to human trafficking by providing support services to survivors and communities. They use community outreach and training programs to educate people and find victims. They also support the survivors along the journey to recovery through counseling, legal services, and shelter until they reestablish independence. They also have a Youth Program focusing on child victims of trafficking. Moreover, they empower the survivors to use their experiences in public awareness campaigns and advocate for critical policy reforms through their partnerships with national anti-trafficking organizations. 

Since their founding, the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking has remained dedicated to ending human trafficking and helping survivors. For example, in 2021, they have served 2,000 survivors and spent nearly $6 million across all survivor rehabilitation services. In the same year, the charity helped 90% of survivors to have safe housing and 86% to get a job or continue their studies. CAST also increased the anti-human trafficking state budget by $30 million, to support survivor protection. 

You can donate directly to the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking  through their website. You can also volunteer, work for them, or participate in an internship. In addition, you can use their site to report a human trafficking incident.

Polaris: Freedom Happens Now

Polaris has a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator, with a 100% score for accountability and transparency. They also hold the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. 

“We tackle the underlying patterns of exploitation so that we prevent trafficking before it starts, and change the power dynamics that allow it to happen.”

Polaris

Polaris is committed to changing the systems that make sex and labor trafficking possible. They conduct an action plan to reduce sex trafficking in 25 US cities by educating and empowering communities. They also direct a program to end labor trafficking of migrant workers in the US by providing them with tools to protect their rights and advocate for themselves. Polaris also fights to optimize the global financial sector to make trafficking riskier and less lucrative for the traffickers, while giving survivors access to financial services and online communities.

To date, Polaris has helped over 82,000 victims of human trafficking rebuild their lives. They have established the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline, which has been accessed nearly 330,000 times and has led to almost 74,000 reports of human trafficking. Polaris also holds the largest known database on human trafficking in the US. For example, in 2021, they identified over 10,000 cases of human trafficking and funded almost $11 million to their National Hotline. 

You can donate to Polaris directly on their website. You can also support their work through corporate partnerships or fundraising. Additionally, you can join their social campaigns or sign their Youth Protection petition. 

Hope for Justice: End Slavery. Change Lives.

Hope for Justice has a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator and holds the Silver Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“We exist to bring an end to modern slavery by preventing exploitation, rescuing victims, restoring lives, and reforming society.”

Hope for Justice

Hope for Justice has a four-pillar approach to ending human trafficking. First, their social campaigns work to empower and educate exposed communities to protect themselves against trafficking. Second, their outreach teams work with police and other agencies to identify victims of human trafficking, build trust, and rescue them. Additionally, they provide survivor aftercare through legal advocacy and support groups. They also train frontline organizations, including businesses, and churches, to spot the signs of modern slavery and to respond effectively.

Hope for Justice works in 50 locations worldwide to empower vulnerable people, change systems and raise awareness. For example, in 2021, their Modern Slavery Training and Learning Academy helped nearly 14,000 participants respond effectively to human trafficking. In the same year, they reached just under 200,000 vulnerable people and offered aftercare services to 5,000 survivors of human trafficking.

You can donate to Hope for Justice directly on their website. You can also get involved by fundraising, volunteering, or participating in their slavery awareness events.

Stop the Traffik: People Shouldn’t Be Bought or Sold

According to their financial report, Stop the Traffik spent 33% of their total income on campaigns and social services, 29% on research and data gathering, and 17% on consultancy services.

“As important as it is to rescue victims and prosecute traffickers, we will never put an end to human trafficking if that’s all we do. We need to prevent it.”

Stop the Traffik

Stop the Traffik’s programs work to change the environment to increase risks to traffickers and improve safety of the vulnerable. Their key strategy is partnerships across industries and sectors. They help organizations act ethically and eliminate any exploitation within by providing bespoke trainings and consultancy services. They also target communities through coordination campaigns that equip citizens and businesses with the knowledge to spot the signs of human trafficking and actively stop its spread. Additionally, the charity has geo-targeted awareness campaigns to help communities worldwide stay safe and build resilience against trafficking.

Since their founding, Stop the Traffik has reached over 10,5 million people through their global prevention programs. For example, in 2021, they educated 2,8 million through 15 digital campaigns. They have also developed a global human trafficking database that currently holds over 1 million recorded incidents and have built an interactive global map of human trafficking hotspots. In addition, the charity has trained 53,329 frontline professionals in their model of disruption. They have also created The STOP APP, an anonymous reporting tool for witnessed exploitations, that helped to inform 80,000 such cases.

You can donate to Stop the Traffik directly on their website. You can also contribute by fundraising or applying for a job. In addition, you can use their site to directly report a trafficking incident. 

International Justice Mission (IJM): End Slavery in Our Lifetime

The International Justice Mission has a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator and holds the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar. 

“Our vision is to rescue millions, protect half a billion and make justice unstoppable.”

International Justice Mission

The International Justice Mission combats human trafficking and other types of societal violence against underserved people on a global scale. They find and rescue the victims of labor and sex trafficking with the help of local police departments and continue to provide aftercare and rehabilitation services until the survivors are fully restored. They ensure that the exploitations don’t reoccur by working with local law enforcement to arrest and imprison the traffickers. They also fight to strengthen justice systems by providing mentorship and support to local law enforcement and other community leaders to stop the cycle of exploitation.

Since their founding, the International Justice Mission has remained committed to ending human trafficking through their network of 24 offices in 14 countries. For example, in 2021, they relieved 10,000 victims from violence and oppression and fully restored over 430 survivors. They also restrained over 4,500 suspected criminals and convicted almost 2,000 perpetrators. In the same year, they trained over 32,000 community leaders to recognize and respond to trafficking, and educated over 16,000 justice system officials to actively address cases of exploitation. 

You can donate directly to the International Justice Mission on their website. You can also volunteer, advocate with them, or participate in their awareness campaigns. Additionally, you can fundraise or join their internships.

Free the Slaves: Freeing Slaves, Ending Slavery

Free the Slaves has a 3-star rating from Charity Navigator, with a 100% score for accountability and transparency. They also hold the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“Our vision is a world free from modern slavery. Our mission is to end the conditions that allow it to exist.”

Free the Slaves

Free the Slaves combats modern slavery by changing systemic conditions that allow it to exist. They created the Community Liberation Model that educates people and protects them from being victims. The model also supports the rescue, aftercare, and economic security of survivors, while changing faulty laws and regulations. Through their Global Strategic Plan, they engage with civil stakeholders worldwide, advocate, and implement international policies. They train partner organizations to respond effectively to human trafficking while engaging survivors to lead awareness campaigns against the exploitations.

Today, Free the Slaves works across 13 countries and five continents to combat human trafficking. For example, in 2020, they reached over 650,000 people through awareness and education campaigns and freed over 14,000 people from modern slavery. In the same year, they arrested 300 traffickers and slaveholders and invested almost $2 million in advocacy and Community Liberation programs. And in 2021, they developed an accountability policy alongside the U.N. Alliance 8.7, that requires governments to actively participate in the abolition of slavery worldwide. In the same year, they trained over 300 organizations and activists and expanded their presence in seven global regions. 

You can make one-time or recurring donations to Free the Slaves through their website. You can also support them by buying their merchandise, applying for a job, or raising awareness on campuses.

DeliverFund: Intelligence to Counter Human Trafficking

DeliverFund has a 100% overall score from Charity Navigator and holds the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“Together, we can keep our communities safe by bringing human traffickers to justice.”

DeliverFund

DeliverFund’s experts combine their experience in the CIA and Special Operations with cutting-edge technology to find and catch traffickers online. They possess A.I platforms that use the same online technology that traffickers employ, turning their own methods against them. They partner with law enforcement to train and supply them with the charity’s technologies. They also conduct a Thriver program that empowers and equips survivors to have an active role in stopping exploitations, by combining their lived experience with DeliverFund’s technological resources.

To date, DeliverFund has identified over 3,500 trafficking reports and trained over 1,100 police officers. They arrested over 200 traffickers with a 100% conviction rate. They have also rescued 232 victims and supported 90 law enforcement operations. Moreover, the charity developed one of the largest human trafficking databases in the US.

You can donate to DeliverFund through their website. You can also contribute by fundraising, buying their merchandise, or becoming a corporate partner. Additionally, you can buy their AdvoKit, a tool that helps you raise awareness about human trafficking in your community.

A21: A World Where Every Single Person Is Free

A21 has a 97% overall rating from Charity Navigator.

“We are driven by a radical hope that the cycle of human trafficking can be broken.”

A21

A21 fights to end human trafficking through three independent projects. Through their first project, Reach, they educate and equip communities to understand and reduce the risk of human trafficking through prevention programs, awareness campaigns, and educational curriculums. Through their second project, Rescue, they partner with authorities to free the victims and convict the traffickers through identification operations, legal assistance, and professional trainings. Through their third project, Restore, they empower survivors of human trafficking towards rehabilitation and independence through sheltering, holistic aftercare, and relocation services.

To date, A21 has supported 3,6 million communities through their awareness campaigns and helped 241,000 children through their prevention programs. They are now present in 19 locations across 14 countries. They reached over one billion people through their “Can You See Me?” campaigns and trained over 11,000 frontline professionals. For example, in 2021, they identified and assisted nearly 600 victims and sentenced 30 traffickers through their Rescue program. In the same year, their Restore program served almost 400 survivors and returned 76 of them to their home countries.

You can donate to A21 directly through their website. You can also support them by fundraising, volunteering, or participating in their Walk for Freedom campaigns. In addition, you can report any suspected trafficking event to their international human trafficking hotline.

The Exodus Road: Justice Is in the Hands of the Ordinary

Charity Navigator gives The Exodus Road a 100% overall score across all metrics. They also hold the Platinum Seal of Transparency from GuideStar.

“We believe that every individual has a role to play in the fight against human trafficking. Together we can bring rescue to sons and daughters around the world.”

The Exodus Road

The Exodus Road fights against human trafficking through their Theory of Change program. Their teams intervene on-site, partnering with law enforcement to both arrest perpetrators and increase officers’ efficiency and awareness of human trafficking. Their training programs equip communities to protect the vulnerable. Their “TraffickWatch Academy” training offers lectures from leaders in the counter-trafficking community. They also work to identify and rescue the victims of exploitation. Their Beyond Rescue Program uses a trauma-informed approach to tailor aftercare services based on survivors’ needs.

The Exodus Road works in six locations worldwide and across three continents. On average, they free over 1,700 people from human trafficking every year and arrest nearly 1,000 perpetrators. For example, in 2021, they rescued 1,600 victims and imprisoned 877 traffickers. In the same year, they helped almost 1,500 survivors with aftercare services and provided training on human trafficking prevention and intervention to 20,000 police officers in Brazil.

You can donate to The Exodus Road directly on their website. You can also donate to their India Foundation, fundraise or become a corporate partner. Additionally, you can apply for a job or volunteer as an investigator on site.

How Can You Select the Best Charities to Support?

The charities on the list are, we deem, the best charities that fight to end human trafficking. However, you may have a particular charity you want to support. Let’s look at what you can do to ensure your contribution has the most significant impact.

• Check out the charity website. Charities that are worthy of your donations are transparent in their mission and their figures. Familiarise yourself with their history, mission, and values. Their website usually is the best place to start.
• Identify the charity’s mission. Without a goal, the charity is likely to fail. If the charity’s mission isn’t clear, it’s probably worth looking for a charity that does have a clear mission. 
• Check if the charity has measurable goals. An effective charity has clear goals. You want to know your donation will help the charity reach its goals. But if it doesn’t have targets, it’s likely to fail or squander your gift. The charity should be able to account for its spending and supply evidence of the work they do.
• Assess the successes or goals the charity has achieved. You wouldn’t invest in a business if it kept missing its targets. In the same way, charities are like this too. If no one is assessing a charity’s progress in reaching its targets, the chances are they’re not making a substantial positive change.
• Check the charity’s financials and stats. Trustworthy organizations will publish financial statements and reports each year. Some might be exempt from having to do so, but they should be able to provide them to public members who are interested in donating.
• Locate sources who work with or benefit from the charity. Word of mouth and first-hand experience of a charity’s work lets you know the charity’s quality. If you’re able to do so, check out the charity for yourself or speak to someone familiar with it. This way, your donation will go to the right place. 

How Can You Best Support These Charities?

After you’ve made your decision, it’s time for you to decide on how you’d like to help the charities you’ve chosen. Check how you can help – each charity runs specific programs that have unique aims. Find out what the aim of such programs is and whether they are right for you. 

Here are a few ways you can help your chosen charity:

• Donate money. You can find donation pages on the website of most charities. Your donation can be a one-time payment, or you can set it to be deducted regularly at different intervals. You can mostly pay via credit card, but some charities also take PayPal or Bitcoin payments.
• Buy their official merchandise. The charities can also raise money by selling merchandise. So, you can support them by buying the mugs, shirts, caps, pens, pencils, and any other such items they may be selling. Ideally, you should buy as much as you can to share and spread the word about the charity’s activities.
• Engage in volunteer work. As you’ve seen from our descriptions above, some charities engage in a lot of local and grassroots programs. You can help by taking on and organizing the program in your local area.
• Help their fundraising efforts. You can spread the word about the charity in your workplace, school, church, etc., and hold creative fundraising drives on social media or offline within your small circles.
• Share their stories. Most charities have compelling stories that you can share with your audience to attract more people to the cause.

Final Thoughts

Now it is up to you to select the charity that resonates most with you. And whichever charity you end up choosing and contributing to, we are sure that they will immensely appreciate your support. Hopefully, the information within this article has made this selection process a bit easier for you to support charities dedicated to fighting to end human trafficking – based on the causes that matter most to you.

Stay impactful,

PS: Finally, I want to leave you with a thought-provoking TED talk from Dan Pallotta, a leading philanthropic activist and fundraiser, about what is wrong with the way we think about charities – and what we can do about it:

Sources

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• CAST: About
• Charity Navigator: CAST
• GuideStar: CAST
• CAST: Policy
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• CAST: Social Services
• CAST: Legal Services
• CAST: Shelter Services
• CAST: Youth Program
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• CAST: Volunteer
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