TDLR Administration

TDLR Helps Combat Human Trafficking

To report suspected human trafficking, contact the National Hotline for Human Trafficking at 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733).

If the situation is an emergency or you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 911 and alert the authorities.

You should also file a complaint on a business you suspect may be participating in human trafficking.

Certain Texas health care practitioners who provide direct patient care must complete an approved human trafficking prevention training course in order to renew their license. You can find more information on our training page.

Human trafficking is the exploitation of men, women, and children for labor or sex using force, fraud or coercion. Although trafficking victims may interact regularly with customers, language barriers, emotional manipulation and intensive monitoring can make it difficult for them to reach out for help.

Labor trafficking and exploitation can happen in any industry. Several industries regulated by TDLR, including nail salons, hair salons and massage establishments, have a known nexus with human trafficking. Because TDLR employees inspect nail salons, hair salons, massage establishments and other worksites, they can often be the first ally to have contact with potential human trafficking victims. TDLR employees who routinely interact with licensees receive training on recognizing signs of potential trafficking.

The TDLR Anti-Trafficking Unit (ATU) was created in 2019 to bolster TDLR’s efforts in the fight against human trafficking in the agency’s regulated industries. Part of the agency’s fight against human trafficking involves identifying illicit massage businesses within its regulated community, coordinating with local law enforcement, and connecting trafficking survivors with community and social services. The ATU coordinates its activities with local law enforcement throughout Texas, the Labor Trafficking Working Group and the Texas Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinating Council.

How You Can Help Us Fight Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking In The Media: