FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Why is there a service provider listed at the top of the home page?

• If location services are turned on for your device, the Directory will show the closest service provider to your location, no matter the tier (for more on tiers, see “What do the icons mean?” below). If desired, you can change your location by clicking “Change Location” in the upper left hand corner of the box, or use the map below to search for service providers in other locations. To see more information about the organization, click “More about this provider” in light blue at the bottom of the box. To see more results for the location, click “More results from this location” underneath the box.

How do I use the map?

• Begin by first identifying a location (city or country) one wishes to search in and entering it into the search bar in the top right corner of the map.
  • One can also click on a country within the map to see a list of organizations within that country.
• You can also use the filters to separate organizations by:
  • Trafficking Types
  • Populations served
  • Services provided
  • Industrial Sectors
  • Coalitions
• The initial results will show first glance information about an organization: Name, location, Hotline number and hours (if available), website and email (if available); trafficking types, populations served, services, when they were last updated in the Directory, their tier, and icons related to the kind of provider they are. To find more information about a service provider (including phone numbers, additional hotlines, industrial sectors, countries of operation, languages spoken), please click “See More.”
• If searching by country, the map will show results for organizations based in the country as well as organizations that are located outside of the country if the latter provide services or have projects in the searched country.

• If you would like the scroll wheel on your mouse to zoom in and out on the map, click the toggle over to “zoom”. If you would like the scroll wheel on your mouse to move the page up and down ensure that the toggle is set to “scroll.”

• The safety of those using the GMSD is important to us. To this end we have implemented a safe browsing toggle. When turned “on” your movements on the site will not be tracked and hitting the “back” button will bring you to the same site as the “Quick Exit” button. When turned “off” your movements on the site will be tracked and you will be able to go back to previously viewed pages.

  • We still recommend that you follow these best practices for safe browsing:
    • Delete Search History
      Search engines track your online searches and this information can be accessed by others using the same computer. If you are concerned that your trafficker will see what you have been searching for online, it is important to clear your search history after each session. Here are instructions at Google, Yahoo, and Bing.
    • Delete Browser History
      Your browser saves a list of all the websites you have visited while on the internet, and should be cleared after every session, especially if you’ve visited sites you wish to keep private from your trafficker. Learn how to delete your search history on Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Toolbar.
    • If the “Use Inline AutoComplete” box in your Internet settings is checked, partial web addresses will be completed while typing in the Address bar and could reveal where you have been browsing. To make sure AutoComplete is not enabled, pull down the Tools menu, choose Internet Options, then click the Advanced tab. There is a box that can be checked or unchecked called “Use Inline AutoComplete.” Uncheck the box if it is checked.
  • More online safety planning information can be found here (please note information is only available in English).

What do the icons mean?

• – Direct Services Organization
• –  Indirect Services Organization
• – Government Agency
• – Law Enforcement Agency
• – Organization specializes in working with LGBTQI+ populations
• – Access Point Organization. The GMSD has designated certain organizations as access point organizations – these are organizations that may have partnered with Polaris in anti-trafficking work or have worked with/received potential international trafficking tips from the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline.
• – Organization is a member of the Freedom Collaborative
• – Organization is a member of the Eurasia Foundation

For more information about our partnerships with the Freedom Collaborative and the Eurasia Foundation, please see our About Page.

What do the tiers mean?

• Tier 1 – Human Trafficking is the main focus and purpose of the organization.
• Tier 2 – Human trafficking is one of several focus areas of the organization.
• Tier 3 – The organization does not work specifically on human trafficking, but  is able to serve victims and survivors of human trafficking if necessary.

What are considered direct or indirect services?

• Due to the purpose of the GMSD, it will be assumed that all services listed will be available to survivors and victims of human trafficking.
• Direct Services
  • Addiction Treatment/Services – Providing treatment or services related to substance use or addiction.
  • Case Management – Providing assistance connecting to a variety of social services and/or benefits.
  • Child Care – Providing childcare for survivor’s dependents (i.e. daycares).
  • Crisis Services – Providing urgent/emergency access for emotional support, assistance locating shelter, speaking to law enforcement, or accessing other needed emergency assistance.
  • Direct Victim Outreach – Organizations that engage directly with potential victims when doing outreach about their services. 
  • Drop-In Center – Organization has a location where survivors of trafficking can stop by without an appointment for rest, advice, or other assistance.
  • Education/Job Training – Providing clients education and/or job training services such as language classes, computer classes, or job placement services.
  • Emergency Shelter – Providing immediate/emergency access to safe accommodations (can include formal shelters, safe houses, and/or hotel/motel stays).
  • Family Reunification – Providing assistance in locating family members and/or reuniting with family.
  • Health Care – Providing medical assistance of any kind.
  • Legal Services: Civil – Providing legal assistance/consultation for civil legal matters. (Ex: Assistance related to suing someone, workers’ rights, discrimination, etc).
  • Legal Services: Criminal – Providing legal assistance/consultation related to criminal defense or crime victim rights advocacy. (Ex: Assistance with expungement or vacatur related to a criminal charge; charging another person with a crime). 
  • Legal Services: Generic – Providing generic legal assistance.
  • Legal Services: Immigration – Providing legal assistance/consultation related to immigration (Examples: Seeking assistance related to current visa or immigration needs, assistance with deportation proceedings). 
  • Long-Term Housing – Providing non-emergency residential housing for more than a year.
  • Mental Health Services (Out-Patient) – Providing individual or group therapy facilitated by a licensed therapist. This option does not include inpatient services.
  • Psychological Support: Generic – Providing general psychosocial support.
  • Repatriation – Providing assistance in returning to country of origin.
  • Residential Mental Health Treatment (In-Patient) – Providing a residential treatment program to address mental health or behavioral health needs in a clinical-residential setting.
  • Shelter: Generic – Providing general shelter or housing.
  • Supportive Counseling – Providing supportive counseling that is not necessarily provided by a licensed therapist.
  • Survivor Leadership – Organization that has a policy or program to support professional development, leadership training, and/or employment to survivors of human trafficking.
  • Transitional Housing – Providing non-emergency residential housing for a period of one month up to two years.
  • Transportation Assistance – Able to provide local and/or national transportation assistance.
• Indirect Services
  • Advice/Safety Planning – Providing advice on how to stay safe from or during a trafficking situation. 
  • Grantmaking – Organizations that have the funds to potentially provide other organizations funding for anti-trafficking projects. 
  • Interpretation/Translation – Providing a qualified interpreter for court proceedings, working with law enforcement, or working with other agencies.
  • Outreach/Awareness – Conducting general outreach or awareness raising on topics related to human trafficking.
  • Policy Advocacy – Works on/advocates for anti-trafficking policies. 
  • Research – Organization that does anti-trafficking research.
  • Training – Organization that is available to conduct trainings and presentations on human trafficking to other service providers, law enforcement, or other stakeholders/entities.
  • Volunteer Opportunities – Providing opportunities to get involved as a volunteer in the anti-trafficking field.

What kinds of organizations can join the GMSD?

• The goal of the GMSD is to be a visual representation of the global anti-trafficking safety net, listing organizations that provide direct services, as well as those that provide indirect services, such as research and training. We aim to include NGOs, CSOs, multilateral institutions, government stakeholders, and law enforcement agencies working to combat modern slavery as well as organizations that may assist victims of trafficking while addressing related issues, such as labor exploitation, child protection, or domestic violence.
• To join the GMSD, organizations can fill out an application found here or by visiting the Members page.
• If you are already a member of the GMSD and wish to update your information, please click here or visit the Members page.

How are organizations vetted for inclusion?

• To ensure the GMSD can meet its goal of providing up-to-date and high quality referrals to meet survivors’ unique needs, every application is reviewed and vetted prior to being added to the GMSD. Organizations interested in being included in the database are asked to complete an application form. Only authorized staff members from the organization should complete the form. Organizations that already exist in the GMSD will be asked to complete an annual update process, reviewing and updating all fields in the form to ensure accuracy as well as to fill in newly added information aimed to improve the referral process for survivors. Once the form has been submitted, GMSD staff may follow-up via email or a phone call to discuss the agency’s structure, service delivery policies and procedures, and available services. GMSD staff may also consult with partners on the ground to help with the vetting process.
• Please note that inclusion in the Global Modern Slavery Directory does not indicate an endorsement by the creators of the GMSD. Organizations listed in the GMSD met minimum requirements for inclusion based on information self-reported by each organization, and opted in to have their information shared publicly on the site. For more information and inclusion criteria, review the GMSD – Service Provider Guidelines and Expectations document (available only in English). The Global Modern Slavery Directory has taken reasonable steps to verify that each organization has met inclusion criteria; however, the Global Modern Slavery Directory is not responsible for the accuracy of information contained on this site.

Who decides what information is shown on the GMSD?

• Service providers can either choose to be publicly listed on the GMSD or to remain private/internal only to GMSD staff. If they choose to become public, the following information will be shown on the GMSD: contact information, location information, populations they serve as well as services provided, countries of operation, languages spoken by the organization, industrial sectors they work within, any social media, and if they are a part of the Freedom Collaborative or the Eurasia Foundation. Publicly listed organizations can choose what contact information they want to be made public in the GMSD. If an organization has not provided certain information, it will be unavailable to show on the GMSD.