Last August, the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office launched the Alabama Combats Trafficking Program (ACT), a statewide initiative focused on raising awareness of human trafficking and strengthening prevention efforts across Alabama.
Since its launch, organizations and businesses across the state have joined this effort to help bring visibility to a crime that often operates in the shadows.
Alabama Cold Case Advocacy is proud to be a participating organization in the ACT program.
Why this Initiative Matters
Human trafficking is not always obvious. It often presents through subtle warning signs – situations that may seem unusual but not immediately alarming.
That’s what makes awareness so critical.
The ACT program works to:
- Educate communities on how to recognize potential signs of trafficking
- Provide guidance on how and where to report concerns
- Encourage collaboration between advocacy groups, businesses, and law enforcement
- Create a more informed and observant public
Turning Awareness into Visibility
Awareness only works if people actually see it.
That belief is what drives our Operation Safe Return initiative.
Through Operation Safe Return, Alabama Cold Case Advocacy works to place high-visibility billboards for missing and vulnerable individuals across the state – bringing cases directly into the public eye where they can’t be ignored.
Many of the individuals we feature are at heightened risk, including those who may be vulnerable to exploitation or trafficking.
By amplifying their stories in highly trafficked areas, we are not just raising awareness – we are creating opportunities for recognition.
And recognition can change everything.
Where the Work Connects
We work with families who have spent years searching for answers.
We have seen how quickly cases can go quiet when critical details are missed early.
There is often overlap between trafficking, missing persons cases, and long-term investigations.
Initiatives like ACT, combined with efforts like Operation Safe Return, help close that gap – ensuring that cases remain visible, conversations continue, and tips still have a chance to come forward.
What You Can Do
Programs like ACT depend on an informed and engaged public.
Take the time to learn the signs. Pay attention to what is happening around you. If something feels off, trust that instinct.
If you suspect human trafficking, contact local law enforcement or the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
- Contact your local law enforcement agency by dialing 911.
- Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
- Text the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 233733 or chat via Human Trafficking Hotline Web Chat.
- Report criminal activity to the State Bureau of Investigation Crime Hotline by calling 1-800-392-8011 or visiting Alabama Law Enforcement Agency – Fusion Center Suspicious Activity Report.
Because sometimes, the difference between silence and action is simply someone choosing to look a little closer.
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