Hard Rock International signs ECPAT child-protection code

Company developed online safety program to combat human trafficking.

Hard Rock International on Tuesday said it has signed the ECPAT Tourism Child-Protection Code of Conduct, described as the world’s first and only voluntary set of business principles travel and tour companies can implement to prevent sexual exploitation and trafficking of children.

According to Hard Rock officials, for several years the company has implemented comprehensive protocols, trained more than 27,000 hotel and casino team members globally, and collaborated with community partners and advocacy groups, in an effort to prevent human trafficking.

Earlier this year, Hard Rock and ECPAT-USA launched the Social Identity Quest, a program designed to educate youth on self-protecting against the risks of being lured online. Today, Hard Rock and ECPAT-USA said the program has reached, educated and engaged more than 1 million high school students across the United States.

The ECPAT Code is a joint venture of the tourism and hospitality sectors and ECPAT-USA, a policy organization in the US seeking to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children. The Code offers a framework for companies to establish policies and protocols, provide training, education and support to collaborate with allied services in local communities, such as survivor support groups and law enforcement.

Hard Rock’s Social Identity Quest, with content developed by experts at ECPAT-USA and EduNetwork Partners, launched nationally in January. Officials said the results from this program show the ability to increase students’ online safety literacy by 13% on average, based on a learning evaluation.

Human trafficking disproportionately victimizes indigenous communities. Survey data from four regions across the US and Canada found an average of 40% of women involved in sex trafficking identified as indigenous or First Nations, despite representing only 10% of the population in those places.

Given the strong demand for the program, Hard Rock and ECPAT-USA are exploring adapting it to support Indigenous American communities across the country, and working with ECPAT-Mexico to reach student populations in Mexico.

Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International, was joined Marcellus W. Osceola Jr., Chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, Lori L. Cohen, CEO of ECPAT-USA, and Harold F. Pryor, Broward County State Attorney in signing the Code.

“By signing the ECPAT Code, we are honored to play a role in helping strengthen our industry’s response to human trafficking,” Allen said in a statement. “Social purpose is the life of Hard Rock and our motto ‘Take Time to be Kind’ exemplifies our commitment to addressing and preventing sexual, labor and other forms of exploitation of children and vulnerable people, while supporting human rights. Hard Rock team members around the globe remain committed to working with non-profit organizations, government officials and the communities we operate in to serve as an example within the hospitality and entertainment industry.”

Added Cohen: “Effective education is essential for preventing exploitation and protecting young people, so we partnered with Hard Rock to create the Social Identity Quest (SIQ), an educational quest game, to prompt student-driven conversations to reflect on online habits and emphasize healthy decision making. More and more, exploiters are using social media to identify and contact young people. The fact that we have reached more than 1 million students across 45 states in a few months shows how valuable and urgently needed this program is.”

Pryor chimed in: “To protect children and vulnerable people we must collaborate across law enforcement, state attorneys’ offices, community groups and industry. We are happy to join Hard Rock, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and ECPAT-USA in their efforts to combat human trafficking here in South Florida and around the world.”

Michael Bartlett

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