Lawrence-area organizations are partnering to provide human trafficking awareness and response training in preparation for the World Cup games in Kansas City.

“We know that when there is a large-scale sporting event, it’s very likely that there’s going to be an increase in labor trafficking as well as sex trafficking,” said Heather Muth, prevention specialist with the Willow Domestic Violence Center. “We want to make sure that the vulnerable members of our community are aware and protected.“ 

Muth said awareness trainings in Lawrence will be tailored to specific work sectors and focus on what to look out for. The sessions will also provide information on how to appropriately and safely respond or help those who are potentially being trafficked in a trauma-informed way.

In 2025, FIFA mandated that all host committees, which organize and manage the games in host cities, develop human rights action plans during the 2026 games.

This action was influenced by the events of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where migrant workers experienced labor trafficking and abusive labor practices both during the construction of the country’s seven World Cup stadiums and new infrastructure, as well as during the event. These abuses crossed multiple sectors of the sporting event outside of construction including hospitality, private security, sanitation services and more. 

Muth said people who experience labor abuse or trafficking often live at a job site, are often not in charge of their own documentation, may express being in debt and are afraid to treat workplace injuries or express how injuries occurred. Muth said that in sex trafficking, victims may be afraid to speak when a specific person is present, or their home environment may be heavily monitored by surveillance cameras.

However, Muth said they also want to look over the history of human trafficking in the U.S. and debunk myths and sensationalization about the topic.

“Traffickers aren’t always going to be like a criminal gang that’s going to be kidnapping,” Muth said. “They’re more likely to be an intimate partner. It’s more likely to be a family member or a friend. So people are brought into trafficking by somebody they know and trust the majority of the time.”

Christina Gentry, associate director of the Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center, said exploring the history of human trafficking during these training sessions will help attendees support vulnerable and marginalized groups.

She said human trafficking is a profound violation of human rights that thrives on miseducation and vulnerabilities. 

“We know that the failures of acts and laws throughout time have neglected LGBT youth, children in a welfare or foster care system, people of color, Indigenous communities, and people who are impoverished,” Gentry said, “and migrants and undocumented workers are also those that have really never been the focus of attention and protections.”

The first training session will be tailored to the hospitality sector and it will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 at the Carnegie Building, 200 W. Ninth St. An online registration form is available at this link. 

Muth said that other organizations can reach out to set up their own training sessions as well. There’s a form to request training available via lawrence2026.com/quick-resources. 

In addition to training, Willow and the care center are working with local and national advocacy groups to disseminate information to the community. For example, Willow will work with the Children’s Advocacy Center of Douglas County to share resources to help affected youth or youth in need. They also plan to work with the Kansas Statewide Homeless Coalition, first responders, the Metropolitan Organization Countering Sexual Assault and more.

Those materials will be shared at lawrence2026.com, the website of the area’s unified command for World Cup prep, and the Willow’s website.

Anyone in need of assistance in Douglas County can contact the Willow Domestic Violence Center or the Sexual Trauma and Abuse Care Center. Their 24-hour hotlines are 785-843-3333 and 785-843-8985, respectively. See additional resources below this article. 

People who may have information regarding human trafficking or who are at risk of being trafficked can also call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. Both are confidential and available 24/7.

Logan Pierson (he/him), reporting intern with The Lawrence Times since December 2025, is a senior journalism and photography student at the University of Kansas. He previously contributed to the University Daily Kansan as a senior reporter and beat reporter.

Read his work for the Times here.

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