MIAMI, July 1, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Zero
Trafficking today announced the launch of a first of its kind
non-fungible token (NFT) with a portion of the proceeds going
towards ending human trafficking as a response to the increase of
human trafficking cases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zero
Trafficking has partnered with Emma
Leonard, who has created book covers for New York Times Best
Selling Authors, Colgate and international beauty brands, to create
the piece.
"A vast majority of human trafficking occurs as a part of highly
sophisticated networks of organized crime that use technology to
prey on victims," Noel Thomas, CEO
of Zero Trafficking said. "COVID-19 has provided a ripe environment
for predators to capitalize on vulnerable youths' increased time
online. If traffickers are eager to utilize technology as a tool to
perpetuate harm, we must integrate anti-trafficking efforts within
that same tech from its foundations. This is why Zero Trafficking
is thrilled to infuse the blockchain with some of the first ever
anti-trafficking assets by engaging with the NFT marketplace in its
early stages."
From 2019-2020, The Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking
reported a one hundred and eighty-five percent increase in human
trafficking cases. Additionally, according to a survey by the
National Fair Housing Alliance, thirteen percent of organizations
saw an increase in sexual harassment complaints since the pandemic
started.
Meanwhile, NFTs, cryptocurrency and other blockchain activities
saw a rise in mainstream acceptance during the pandemic. A singular
NFT by Beeple broke world art records as it sold for $69 million. But even with the rise in popularity
surrounding NFTs and cryptocurrency, efforts to combat human
trafficking on the blockchain have been scarce.
"As an artist I've been fascinated by the NFT movement and the
ownership of work it gives to artists, but I've noticed an
overarching lack of direction and purpose within the marketplace as
it currently exists," Emma Leonard,
Artist represented by The Jacky Winter Group. "I'm honored to have
played a role in bringing anti-human trafficking efforts to the
blockchain through art. I'm hopeful that this piece will be the
first of many purpose-driven works created by the amazing artists
that comprise the NFT creator community."
By relentlessly integrating a variety of technology with
anti-human trafficking efforts, Zero Trafficking hopes to stop
networks of organized crime within the same technology these
networks use to advance cycles of trafficking.
"While technology has played a role in the perpetuation of human
trafficking it has also played a role in its disruption, we've seen
that firsthand," said Thomas. "It is our hope that the creation of
this NFT is the first of many steps to disrupting human trafficking
by utilizing blockchain technology."
Hope Rises depicts a digital water color painting of a stoic
girl wearing a flower crown as a symbol of the hope, vitality and
strength that victims leaving lives of human trafficking and
organized crime can experience. The piece can be viewed and
purchased at https://rarible.com/jackywinter on Rarible.
ABOUT ZERO TRAFFICKING
Zero Trafficking provides cohesive ways to identify, track, and
report bad actors, organizations, networks, and links to other
criminal enterprises. We craft methods and databases built around
best practices from world-class intelligence operations to produce
solutions to support decision-making in investigations,
prosecutions, victim rescues and provide world-class training to
equip organizations to combat human trafficking from the inside
out. From law enforcement and leading retailers to intelligence
professionals and social media experts, we are helping our
customers get where they want to go fast in the fight against human
trafficking and online crime. For more information, visit
ZeroTrafficking.com.
ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING
Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to
obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. 24.9 million
people are ensalved by human trafficking worldwide. It can happen
in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or
nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false
promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure
victims into trafficking situations. In the United States, the average age a girl is
trafficked is between 12 to 14-years-old.
Media Contact
Hailey Harp, Zero Trafficking, +1
5128231778, Hailey@zerotrafficking.com
SOURCE Zero Trafficking