In support of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, G6 Hospitality and Hard Rock International are expanding their efforts to combat human trafficking and raise awareness around the widespread issue.
This month, G6 Hospitality will launch a new version of its training program, “The Room Next Door,” which the company developed to help hotel teams identify the signs of human trafficking in the lodging industry. The training, required at every Motel 6 and Studio 6 location, is aimed at building awareness of the signs and response protocol for human trafficking.
The company is also renewing ongoing partnerships with law enforcement agencies and survivor advocate organizations in 2024, including:
- AHLA Foundation: G6 Hospitality is a longtime partner of AHLA and the AHLA Foundation. G6 was an inaugural donor to the AHLA Foundation “No Room for Trafficking” (NRFT) Survivor Fund. Farah Bhayani, G6 Hospitality general counsel and chief compliance officer, co-chairs the advisory council that champions the hotel industry’s unified efforts to support human trafficking survivors, including how NRFT Survivor Fund grants are distributed to organizations that focus on survivor support.
- New Friends New Life: The company partners with this survivor-focused organization that provides access to education, job training, interim financial assistance and mental health support for survivors of human trafficking and exploitation. Adam Cannon, G6 Hospitality chief brand officer, is a member of the organization’s board of directors.
- It’s A Penalty: The company is continuing its support for the seventh-annual campaign around the “Big Game” this February in Las Vegas. The partnership will work to raise awareness and prevent human trafficking in the Las Vegas community through a variety of initiatives and events.
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC): G6 Hospitality continues to partner with NCMEC to send Amber Alerts through its property management system directly to hotel teams. 2023 was the inaugural year of the program, and it has already proven to be successful in raising awareness of missing children.
- Marinus Analytics LLC: G6 Hospitality leverages Marinus’ Traffic Jam software reporting, which data mines and identifies advertisements for adult services at hotels.
“G6 Hospitality remains committed to combatting human trafficking across the country and has a zero-tolerance policy against it,” said Julie Arrowsmith, CEO, G6 Hospitality. “Our expanded anti-human trafficking program will ensure that our team members, franchisees and hotel teams are educated advocates who can help the industry move toward eradicating human trafficking.”
Hard Rock/Seminole Gaming add new support tools
Hard Rock International and Seminole Gaming have enhanced their ongoing commitment to the fight against human trafficking with new support tools for victims and those at risk; a youth education program; new training to help team members combat and prevent human trafficking; and work with new community partners to create a greater impact.
“We are deeply committed to the work our community partners provide for those at risk, victims and survivors of human trafficking in the U.S. and around the world, as we work together to combat human trafficking,” said Jim Allen, chairman, Hard Rock International and CEO, Seminole Gaming.
Over the last several years, Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming have implemented comprehensive protocols to increase awareness of and prevent human trafficking, including training over 27,000 hotel and casino team members globally and collaborating with local community partners and advocacy groups.
Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming are continuing their work in 2024 with direct support for victims, survivors, and at-risk youth, through the following programs:
- Twentyfour-Seven QR code: Created for trafficking survivors, by survivors at Twentyfour-Seven Inc., Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming are the first hospitality brands to implement the Twentyfour-Seven QR code sticker, which provides critical information and support to those who need it, while also deterring traffickers from targeting individuals on the properties. The Twentyfour-Seven QR code sticker, which has resulted in several law enforcement investigations being opened, is being implemented in 44 hotels and casinos across 13 countries. This QR code, which offers information in several different languages, is helping people at risk find a way to understand their situations and the resources available for protection.
- Expanding youth education in Mexico: Building upon the success of the Hard Rock Social Identity Quest (SIQ), an education program that helps teens understand the risks of being lured online, Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming have now expanded the program into classrooms in Mexico following a pilot in Quintana Roo last year that reached 35,000 students. The state’s governor has made the program a mandatory part of the educational curriculum. To effectively reach Mexican youth, the SIQ content was codeveloped with experts from PACT- (Protect All Children from Trafficking; formerly ECPAT-USA), ECPAT-Mexico and EduNetwork Partners. To date, the Hard Rock SIQ has been adopted and taught by 60,000 teachers in 45 U.S. states, reaching 1.2 million high school students. Nearly 2,000 Hard Rock team members also completed the Quest with a young person in their lives.
- Change for Change: Through its Change for Change program, Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming will raise funds to combat human trafficking during January. Casino guests will have the opportunity to donate change from redeemed gaming vouchers to the Hard Rock Heals Foundation, where 100 percent of the funds will benefit community partners.
- NYC, Florida Youth Employment Programs: Offered initially in New York City and extended to South Florida last year, Hard Rock and Seminole Gaming’s Youth Employment Program aims to help protect youth at risk and support survivors to escape a life of trafficking by helping them forge careers in hospitality. Partners include Covenant House New York City, the largest provider of runaway and homeless youth services in New York City, and FLITE Center, South Florida’s leading agency for vulnerable youth and those aging out of foster care. FLITE Center provides support to vulnerable youth with guidance on education, employment, housing health and wellness and care coordination.
