Airbnb and It's a Penalty are partnering to help fight human trafficking, equipping the Airbnb host community with information about how to identify human trafficking and exploitation, and how to report it.

Big sporting events can increase human trafficking due to an influx of visitors. As the Tampa Bay area prepares for the big game, Airbnb is joining It's a Penalty's global campaign to harness the power of sport to prevent abuse, exploitation and human trafficking, and will share educational materials with hosts in the Tampa Bay area. The 2021 campaign is supported by renowned American Football players Aaron Rodgers, Chris Godwin, Nick Foles, Andy Dalton, Ryan Tannehill, Benjamin Watson and William Gholston. Each of the high-profile athletes lent their voice to help raise awareness via a 30-second campaign video and educational materials.

Airbnb will provide educational materials developed by IAP with its Tampa Bay area community, which include:

  • An overview of human trafficking
  • Signs that may indicate human trafficking, such as being easily startled, submissive or afraid, unsure of where they are or being accompanied by a suspicious companion
  • Information about how to report suspected human trafficking. To send a tip, text CTYTIP to (847411) along with your tip or call 1-888-373-7888 anywhere in the United States

"It's a Penalty is delighted to be partnering with Airbnb in our fight against human trafficking and exploitation leading up to the Super Bowl. We commend Airbnb's commitment to raise awareness about the issue and help prevent human trafficking from happening." - Sarah de Carvalho, CEO, It's a Penalty.

Airbnb will also be hosting an anti-trafficking online workshop for hosts later this month, in partnership with Polaris, a leading anti-human trafficking organization. The State of Florida has the third highest rate of human trafficking cases reported by state, according to Polaris.

"Hosting the Super Bowl is a huge economic boon for our state, but the possibility of quick cash from out-of-state visitors can also bring out criminals - like human traffickers who profit from trafficking men, women and children. I want to thank Florida's Airbnb community for joining our fight to end this abuse and exploitation. Their vigilant efforts looking for signs of potential trafficking and reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement could help save a life," said Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.

Airbnb's partnership with It's A Penalty builds on the platform's work to combat human trafficking, including an ongoing partnership with Polaris. Polaris and Airbnb have established a robust training curriculum for Airbnb's global team of agents and crisis managers to support any reports of trafficking and help spot signs of possible exploitation.

Additionally, Airbnb works with INTERPOL and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to help advance this important work. Airbnb is also a founding member of the The World Travel & Tourism Council's (WTTC) global taskforce to help prevent and combat human trafficking.

Additionally, every Airbnb reservation is scored for risk before it's confirmed. We use predictive analytics and machine learning to instantly evaluate hundreds of signals that help us flag and investigate suspicious activity before it happens. And while no background check system is infallible, Airbnb screens all hosts and guests globally against regulatory, terrorist, and sanctions watch lists. For US residents, we also run background checks looking for prior felony convictions, sex offender registrations, and significant misdemeanors.

Airbnb is also working to promote safe and responsible travel, and requires all hosts and guests to commit to COVID-19 safety practices, including wearing masks and practicing social distancing when interacting with each other. All homes hosts must also commit to implement Airbnb's five-step enhanced cleaning process.

About Airbnb

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 1.5 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

About Airbnb.org

Airbnb.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating temporary stays for people in times of crisis around the world. Airbnb.org operates independently and leverages Airbnb, Inc.'s technology, services, and other resources at no charge to carry out Airbnb.org's charitable purpose. The inspiration for Airbnb.org began in 2012 with a single host named Shell who opened up her home to people impacted by Hurricane Sandy. This sparked a movement and marked the beginning of a program that allows hosts on Airbnb to provide stays for people in times of need. Since then, the program has evolved to focus on emergency response and to help provide stays to evacuees, relief workers, refugees, asylum seekers, and frontline workers fighting the spread of COVID-19. Since then, hosts have offered to open up their homes and helped provide accommodations to 100,000 people in times of need. Airbnb.org is a separate and independent entity from Airbnb, Inc. Airbnb, Inc. does not charge service fees for Airbnb.org supported stays on its platform.

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