A Year of Life-Saving Education
2025 Impact Report
Many counter trafficking organizations focus primarily on the restoration and aftercare aspect of human trafficking - and this is an incredibly important piece in the healing journey of those affected by this crime. We know that healing from traumatic exploitation that has been induced through force, fraud, and/or coercion is a lifelong journey requiring a wide range of resources and support. We value our restoration partners who are in this aftercare space.
That said, Freedom 4/24 is choosing to approach the problem differently. In 2006, while speaking at a conference to address the AIDS crisis, Bill Gates said, “Treatment without prevention is simply unsustainable.” This applies to counter trafficking efforts as well. If we are only reactive, solely focusing on aftercare without also “stemming the tide,” human trafficking will continue to escalate without restraint, placing even more individuals at risk.”
An estimated 50 million people worldwide are affected by human trafficking, which includes forced labor, sexual exploitation, organ trafficking, and forced marriage. This figure has risen by 10 million in recent years, up from 40 million.
The crime of human trafficking is grossing $346.7 billion annually, increasing from $150 billion over the last 12 years.
In 2023, there were 36.2 million tips of online child sexual exploitation, defined as online enticement of children for sexual acts, child sex trafficking, child sexual abuse material, and child sex tourism; in 2021, that number of reports was 29 million - we are seeing an increase in child exploitation
Since 2017, Freedom 4/24 has intentionally shifted focus to prevention action, recognizing the critical need to stop human trafficking in our own community before it begins. We’ve developed comprehensive, age-appropriate curricula to educate youth, parents, and professionals about the warning signs and risks of trafficking. Freedom 4/24 transitioned from primarily supporting other organizations to becoming a direct service provider within the prevention arena. While we once focused on raising awareness and funding aftercare efforts, today we are on the front lines—creating and delivering evidence-based prevention education. Our goal is to eliminate the need for rescue and rehabilitation by preventing exploitation altogether. If we succeed, there will be fewer statistics to report because individuals will remain safe and free.
Our prevention education content is thoughtfully tailored to meet the needs of specific audiences, empowering them to recognize vulnerabilities and take action. We currently offer targeted content for:
Middle and high school students
College-aged youth and young adults
Parents and caregivers
School Resource Officers (SROs)
Healthcare providers (with CME credit)
Beauty and wellness professionals
General community members through our Human Trafficking 101 sessions
Our long-term goal is ambitious but clear: to become the nation’s leading nonprofit in human trafficking prevention efforts. We are deeply committed to this work and hope to continue partnering with those who share our passion for protecting and empowering vulnerable communities.