Atlas Free recently organized a significant event in Alicante, Spain, aimed at addressing the issue of global human trafficking. The initiative brought together 40 organizations from 26 different countries to fight against this multi-billion-dollar criminal enterprise. The event took place from April 22nd to 26th and marked a significant milestone in the ongoing fight against human trafficking, which currently affects over 27 million people worldwide.
Atlas Free’s CEO, Jeremy Vallerand, reiterated the importance of a coordinated effort in combating trafficking: “To truly outwork, outpace, and out-strategize traffickers, unity is non-negotiable. Every leader in the room, every individual in the Atlas Free Network—from survivors turned leaders to frontline dreamers ending sex trafficking—deserves the resources, community, and strategic support to dismantle traffickers in their region. That’s why Atlas Free exists.”
Former US Ambassador of Trafficking in Persons and Atlas Free’s Chief Impact Officer, John Richmond, emphasized the significance of the event: “Atlas Free has responded to the urgent call for genuine collaboration and interconnected leadership. This gathering wasn’t just a meeting but about collective action, not circular conversations.”
The statistics related to human trafficking are alarming. In recent times, the number of prosecutions related to this issue has decreased, while the profits generated from it have increased significantly. Atlas Free has emerged as a leader in this fight against human trafficking, advocating for unity among all stakeholders to make a real difference. According to the International Labour Organization in 2024, the global profits from human trafficking exceed $236 billion, which is more than what corporate giants like Walmart and Amazon earn. Therefore, there’s an urgent need for strategic unity to combat this issue.
Callie Tybur, Atlas Free’s Chief Operating Officer, emphasized the organization’s mission: “Atlas Free’s work has never been about us. It’s always been about connecting the best local leaders to better resources, tools, and one another to bring justice and freedom to the one who needs it now.”
The Atlas Free Global Gathering equipped frontline leaders with the tools they needed to combat traffickers effectively and fostered collaboration towards innovative methods of tackling the problem. Sessions led by experienced Atlas Free advisors, leaders, and trafficking survivors focused on trends, best practices, and organizational resilience, addressing critical areas such as finance, leadership, and measurement. One Atlas Free Network Member from West Africa remarked, “I’ve learned more in three hours than in the past decade.” Other regional leaders shared a sense of relief and renewal: “I am not alone in my thoughts about this work,” and, “It’s the kind of work that requires coming together.”
Atlas Free is a global non-profit organization that is dedicated to combating human trafficking and sexual exploitation through strategic collaboration and collective action. The organization was founded in 2012, and its network members have served over one million people so far. The event location where Atlas Free operates underscores their commitment to dismantling the systems enabling sex trafficking and exploitation, especially in one of the epicenters of sex tourism. Recently, on July 26, 2022, the organization rebranded from Rescue:Freedom to Atlas Free to more accurately reflect its mission of putting sexual exploitation out of business in every part of the world.
