TAMPA BAY, Fla. —BP America Inc. helped fight human trafficking ahead of Super Bowl LV.
Hundreds of volunteers were trained on Jan. 30 as part of the One Team Tampa Bay anti-trafficking awareness event supported by the NFL Host Committee, which took place in Tampa, Fla., where the Super Bowl will be held on Feb. 7.
Cheryl Csiky, executive director of In Our Backyard (IOB) and survivor of child sex trafficking, trained volunteers to participate in outreach at local convenience stores and businesses. Volunteers distributed thousands of Missing Children Books, donated by La Palma, Calif.-based c-store chain BP America. The books contained photos of missing and endangered children.
This is the 12th Super Bowl where IOB has initiated collaborative efforts to eradicate human trafficking surrounding the major event.
In 2019, 15 of 36 missing children were recovered within a week of the Super Bowl thanks to partnerships with law enforcement, according to IOB. Human trafficking increases surrounding large events, the organization said.
IOB is a national leader with more than a decade of dedication to the fight against sex and labor trafficking. Its public awareness training empowers individuals to fight human trafficking with a outreach visiting local convenience stores and businesses.
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