U.S. Cities Initiative
In partnership with anti-human trafficking NGO International Justice Mission, Heyrick Research seeks to inspire community-led movements to create an inoperable environment for illicit massage businesses, and to help victim workers rebuild their lives. Through the U.S. Cities Initiative, we are partnering with cities to empower citizens and human trafficking response partners with compelling data, resources and strategies to drive city-wide efforts to combat the illicit massage industry.
Through its initial pilot program in Dallas, Texas, our U.S. Cities Initiative partners are working with local citizens and counter-trafficking response partners to demonstrate that by leveraging “alternative” forms of disruption, such as informing and inspiring property owners, neighbors and the faith-based community to drive and demand change, we can collectively disrupt the market forces that allow exploitation to thrive.
Planned and ongoing program activities include:
- Equipping citizens, community leaders and anti-human trafficking stakeholders with meaningful data and resources to increase awareness of the problem, shift the local narrative and catalyze change;
- Raising public awareness—and promoting accurate information about this form of human trafficking—through the use of public events and strategic messaging;
- Piloting demand reduction efforts to deter sex buyers from purchasing illegal commercial sex;
- Encouraging and supporting law enforcement and local government’s efforts to protect neighborhoods; and,
- Creating a national playbook of promising disruption activities to support the efforts of other cities and highlight progress in Dallas.
