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Hotels Trained to Spot Human Trafficking

Approximately 90 hotels in and around the metro area have received training from the Coalition on Human Trafficking.

Tim Darby, General Manager of the Magnolia Hotel, says he and his employees were the first to receive the training in May 2015. 

Darby says the presentation included statistical information about the problem of human trafficking right here in the metro. 

He found the data to be powerful and informative and surprising.  Darby says 75% of all sex trafficking occurs in hotels. 

He says the training focused on what human trafficking is, what you should do if you suspect it’s happening and how to recognize the signs.

"Maybe it’s an older male that’s checking in and the females look high school or early college-age.  Our room attendants that are cleaning the rooms might see a number of keys from different hotels.”

Darby says other signs include people who pay for rooms with cash and excessive towel use.

Each hotel that was trained by the Coalition on Human Trafficking received a plaque to put in their lobby that offers contact information for the Human Trafficking hotline.

For more information on to recognize and report suspicious behavior, the website is notrafficking.org.