The It’s a Penalty Super Bowl LX Campaign uses sport as a platform to educate and empower the public with the tools needed to combat human trafficking
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, Calif., Jan. 28, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Today, It’s a Penalty launched its 23rd global campaign in the lead-up to Super Bowl LX, focusing on preventing human trafficking and raising awareness about its devastating impact. With a coalition of high-profile ambassadors, global organizations, and local partners, this campaign harnesses the platform of one of the world’s largest sporting events to shine a spotlight on the pervasive issue of human trafficking.
Human trafficking affects an estimated 50 million people globally, with traffickers generating an astonishing $236 billion annually from forced labor and sexual exploitation. In the United States, trafficking has been reported in all 50 states and territories, with California reported as the highest number of reported human-trafficking cases of any U.S. state.
The suggestion that major sporting events like the Super Bowl and other championship series are the sole cause of human trafficking is misleading. However, these events present powerful opportunities to raise awareness and inspire action against exploitation. With large crowds, there can be a rise in labor and sex trafficking due to increased demand for commercial sex, while labor trafficking is a concern in the construction of event infrastructure and reliance on exploited labor in industries like hospitality and transportation. Migrant workers are particularly vulnerable, as seen during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Although trafficking patterns may shift geographically rather than increase overall, these events amplify existing issues, offering organizations a platform to spotlight the year-round nature of trafficking and advocate for systemic change.
“This campaign is about equipping communities with the knowledge to recognize and know about the support available. Together, we can challenge misconceptions and disrupt the patterns that traffickers rely on,” said Sarah de Carvalho, CEO of It’s a Penalty. “The Super Bowl is a powerful platform to engage the public and ensure a lasting legacy of awareness and action in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.”
THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM
- Global: An estimated 50 million people are trapped in modern slavery worldwide, a 10 million increase since 2016 (ILO, 2022).
- 27.6 million people are in forced labour globally (ILO, 2022 Global Estimates).
- USA: Cases of trafficking are reported across all states, with sex trafficking dominating. Increasingly, traffickers operate online to recruit and exploit victims (DHS, 2023).
- In the USA trafficking for both labour and sexual exploitation cases are predominant mostly in domestic work, illicit activities, and the illicit massage and spa business (Global Slavery Index).
PARTNER + AMBASSADOR QUOTES
“I am committed to It’s a Penalty because when it’s all said and done, I want to be able to say that I contributed – to the causes I support and to my purpose and my passion, but most importantly to humanity.” – Kyle Arrington, NFL Champion
“For me, as an NFL athlete, I feel like it’s important to use our platform to bring awareness to the It’s a Penalty campaign” – Tutu Atwell, Los Angeles Rams Player
“Trafficking is a year-round crisis, not limited to major events. Through this campaign, we aim to empower individuals to recognize and respond to the signs of exploitation. Together, we can be part of the solution.” – Collette V. Smith, NFL’s First Black Female Coach
“At Uber, safety is the foundation of everything we build, and we know human trafficking is a year-round issue that too often goes unseen. Major events like the Super Bowl give us an important opportunity to raise awareness, correct misconceptions, and mobilize communities. By partnering with It’s a Penalty, we’re helping ensure more people — including the drivers who keep the Bay Area moving — can recognize the signs of trafficking and know how to respond safely.” – Liz Dank, Senior Public Policy Manager, Women’s & Personal Safety, Uber
“As part of the global anti trafficking movement, we at Carlson believe that awareness-raising and education are key to prevention. We are proud to support It’s a Penalty for its forward-thinking, multi-stakeholder approach to addressing this issue, and have seen its impact firsthand during the 2018 Super Bowl in Minnesota.” – Natalie Volin Lehr, Head of Corporate Affairs & Corporate Citizenship, Carlson
“At IHG Hotels & Resorts, we believe every person deserves safety, dignity, and respect. The hospitality industry plays a vital role in combatting human trafficking, especially during one of the world’s largest sporting events. By partnering with It’s a Penalty, we aim to raise awareness around this issue and equip our hotel teams with the tools and training to recognize and prevent exploitation.” – Jolyon Bulley, IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Americas CEO
“The It’s a Penalty team is relentless in their work to not only prevent exploitation but to also educate the public on the signs of trafficking. As a media partner helping to build awareness around these signs and prevention measures across the country, we’re grateful for organizations like It’s a Penalty for the work they do to help save lives.” – Taylor Tomczyszyn, Director, iHeartImpact
AMBASSADORS AND PARTNERSHIP IMPACT
NFL ambassadors; Tutu Atwell (Los Angeles Rams), Kyle Arrington (ex-NFL player), and Collette V. Smith (the NFL’s first black, female president) join the campaign to amplify the message through a 30-second video that will air on American Airlines and British Airways flights, reaching millions of passengers worldwide.
Our main partners, American Airlines and iHeartRadio, are amplifying the campaign through dedicated media placements to raise awareness and educate in order to prevent exploitation. American Airlines will air our 30-second PSA across their inflight entertainment system throughout February, and iHeartRadio will run 30-second radio spots across its network in January and February. Supporting partners include Uber, Carlson Family Foundation and Skechers. Friendship partners include IHG Hotels & Resorts and Rahab’s Daughters. These organizations are integral to the campaign’s success.
CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
- Hotels and Airlines:
- IHG Hotels & Resorts are engaging in the initiative to educate staff and travel partners to help them recognize signs of trafficking.
- Airline partners American Airlines and British Airways are broadcasting the campaign’s 30s ambassador awareness video to millions of travelers.
- Transportation:
- We are working in partnership with Uber by giving drivers hangtags with the mechanisms to access support if they believe a customer or someone they know is being exploited.
- We are also working with the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District, and San Francisco Bay Ferries who will be displaying awareness materials on their transport links.
- Public Education and Myth-Busting: The campaign seeks to dispel common myths about human trafficking, such as:
- Trafficking only involves physical violence.
- Victims are always transported to different locations.
- Trafficking only happens during major events.
- Trafficking only includes sexual exploitation.
- Local Action in the San Francisco Bay Area:
- Collaboration with local partners to amplify the work they are already doing to support human trafficking victims and spread awareness of the support mechanisms available.
- Distribution of awareness kits featuring support hotlines and resources for local businesses and communities.
ABOUT IT’S A PENALTY
It’s a Penalty runs global awareness campaigns during major sporting events, reaching an average of 180 million people per campaign, in partnership with sports ambassadors, the travel, hospitality and tourism sector, law enforcement, NGOs and government bodies. Alongside these campaigns, we work with businesses through specialist consultancy and training to identify and mitigate modern slavery risks, strengthen supply chain practices, and lead in preventing exploitation. We also lead CommonProtect, our advocacy programme driving legal reform and systems change across the Commonwealth to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). Through education, training, awareness and targeted interventions, we collaborate with governments, businesses and communities to reduce harm and move towards a world free from exploitation and abuse.
Join the conversation on social media:
- Instagram: @its_apenalty
- Bluesky: @itsapenalty.bsky.social
- Twitter: @its_apenalty
- Facebook: FB.com/itsapenaltycampaign
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SOURCE It’s A Penalty
