Rep. Pat Harrigan (R-NC) announced the launch of an app called Simply Report, a tool used to fight human trafficking.
The app, developed in a partnership with Safe House Project, is a “first-of-its-kind” effort “designed to empower everyday Americans to safely, anonymously, and effectively report suspected human trafficking in real time,” a release on the matter says. “The tool uses AI screening with human oversight to route credible tips to law enforcement and connect survivors to Safe House Project’s national network of certified aftercare providers.”
CEO of Safe House Project Kristi Wells said the app is a “turning point” for the nation’s response to human trafficking.
Harrigan noted on X that 300,000 children are trafficked each year, and 99% are never identified.
“Simply Report connects real-time tips to law enforcement, cutting through the noise to get help where it’s needed most,” he said.
The app’s release follows state attorneys general writing to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., expressing concerns that the hotline for human trafficking was not meeting the needs of law enforcement.
“The National Human Trafficking Hotline had long been an integral part of our work, until it was discovered a few years ago that the organization awarded the grant to run the Hotline, Polaris, was no longer sharing tips from concerned citizens and distressed family members with local law enforcement,” the April letter read. “Without those tips, our law enforcement loses critical leads to dismantling trafficking operations. We also lose valuable leads to rescuing the victims of trafficking and helping them begin the road to recovery.”
