Some groups claim that the influx of crowds for the Super Bowl contributes to an increase in sex trafficking. "The Super Bowl does not increase trafficking, sex buyers increase trafficking," said Nita Belles, founder and executive director of In Our Backyard. The National Human Trafficking Hotline sees "slight upticks" in calls and reports during Super Bowl weekend, Polaris spokesman Brandon Bouchard said. Another downside, he says, is it directs funding and responses to sex trafficking, at the expense of overshadowing labor trafficking. But the Super Bowl brings together stakeholders to create much-needed responses and prevention approaches to sex trafficking, he said.

Source: CNN January 31, 2019 19:03 UTC