Polaris Project DC operates the Greater DC Trafficking Intervention Program (DC TIP) to combat human trafficking in the District of Columbia, Northern Virginia, and Southern Maryland. The program was launched in 2002 to create an effective community-based response to curb local human trafficking network activity. DC TIP provides comprehensive case management services to victims in the DC metro area and works to create institutional changes to prevent human trafficking. 

 
Activities
Victim Outreach and Identification: 

In the last year, DC TIP:

Victim Services and Protection: 

In the last year, DC TIP:

• provided social services to an average of 50 victims of trafficking per quarter
• made 159 referrals for outside services
• opened one of few specialized transitional housing facilities in the U.S., with all residents successfully employed or enrolled in an educational program.

Policy Advocacy:  Provision of training and technical assistance to federal and state legislators within DC TIP jurisdictions to close legal loopholes used by traffickers.
 
DC TIP provided technical assistance to and testified before legislators in DC, MD, VA and in the U.S. Congress.  This year, MD became the 30th state to pass anti-trafficking policies; DC and VA currently have active anti-trafficking bills.  Polaris Project also worked to advocate for landmark legislation bringing parity to victim protection in the 2005 Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, which passed unanimously in Congress.
 
Prevention and Youth Empowerment:  Age-appropriate education for youth to develop resiliency and resistance skills in locations with youth at the highest risk for trafficking.
 
In the past year, DC TIP conducted 12 six-week youth prevention workshops in 10 locations around the DC metro area.  These prevention workshops have reached approximately 120 middle and high school aged girls.  DC TIP is also working with the Mayor's office to provide resources for the DC public school system and has partnered with the U.S. Department of Education to create a Fact Sheet on Human Trafficking for national distribution.
 
Task Force, Coalition, and Infrastructure-Building:  Unifying efforts within and between government and non-government efforts to better coordinate effective regional trafficking suppression.
 
Polaris Project was one of the founding members of the DC Task Force on Human Trafficking in 2004 with the DC police department and the DC US Attorney's office.  Membership has grown to over 30 diverse government and non-government organizations meeting on a weekly and monthly basis.  The Task Force has prosecuted over 35 traffickers, rescued over 70 victims of trafficking, and successfully advocated for the DC City Council to make September Human Trafficking awareness month.
 
Training, Technical Assistance, and Strategic Planning; Training on diverse issues within the anti-trafficking field, technical assistance on best practices, and agency-specific strategic planning and consultation.
 
In the last year, DC TIP trained over 1,320 community members on human trafficking; provided weekly consultations with law enforcement (FBI, US Attorney's office, local police) and social service providers; and created and updated a suite of over 25 distinct training and technical assistance materials on a diverse number of anti-trafficking topics.
 
Leadership Development:  Leadership development training through Polaris Project's Fellowship program, a 10-13 week apprenticeship program on the front-lines of the anti-trafficking movement.
 
To date, over 200 fellows have completed the DC Fellowship Program, many of whom have graduated to take prominent positions in the anti-trafficking movement in the U.S. and throughout the world.  Each fellowship session brings in over 150 applications to fill approximately 15 mostly full-time volunteer fellowship positions.  Each fellow receives over 40 hours of intensive training before beginning their 10-15 week practicum.
 
Grassroots Community Mobilization:  In 2004, Polaris Project launched the DC Meetup on Trafficking.  Now the group is led by a group of dedicated community members, and it has grown to have a total of over 430 members in the DC area.  The group is working on designing and implementing two local anti-trafficking campaigns, creating www.stopmodernslavery.org, and planning local events and fundraisers.  For more information about the group and how you can get involved, go to Meetup.com.