Human trafficking, especially sex trafficking, is a dark and persistent crime in many major U.S. cities. In Georgia, Atlanta consistently ranks among the top hotspots in the country for trafficking cases. Our city unfortunately is known for being a major transit and events hub with easy connections to one of the world’s busiest airports – facilitating the movement of traffickers.
Major Sporting Events are a Hub for Trafficking
Atlanta’s network of highways, international reach by air and frequent large-scale conventions and sporting events make it an appealing target for trafficking. This is due in large part to several reasons:
- Influx of visitors and demand – For example, large scale events like FIFA’s World Cup next summer, the Super Bowl in 2028 and NCAA tournaments like Men’s Final Four – attract large numbers of visitors, especially groups of men, which can contribute to an increased demand for commercial sex, which traffickers readily exploit. These traffickers bring young, vulnerable women to these events or use these events to prey on and recruit vulnerable individuals.
- Anonymity – The transient nature of these events, and the large crowds they attract give these human-traffickers a level of anonymity, which makes it harder to detect and intervene in exploitive situations. The trafficked victims are also ‘lost in the crowds’ adding to their vulnerability.
- Strained Local Resources – Security, including local police and federal agents are often focused on the safety of those attending the games, related fan events and experiences and may be focused elsewhere or untrained in spotting exploitive instances.
An example of human trafficking occurred at the 2017 Super Bowl. A law enforcement sting operation, Operation Guardian Angel, resulted in 94 human trafficking arrests.
Atlanta recently highlighted this human-trafficking risk during a major sporting event. Digital billboards in Atlanta warned residents during the NCAA Tournament: “It’s Madness to think sex buying is just a game” and “It’s Madness to think sex buying is a victimless crime.”
Atlanta’s FIFA Moment: A Double-Edged Sword
Atlanta is set to host eight FIFA World Cup matches in 2026. With hundreds of thousands of fans descending upon the city for an entire month, Atlanta is currently investing heavily in infrastructure, transit and security improvements to create a safer space for sports fans to enjoy the games.
In preparation for this event, Atlanta has pledged up to $200 million in public and private funds to enhance public transit, renovate the surrounding areas near Mercedes-Benz Stadium where the matches will be held and where emergency response systems are coordinated. But physical infrastructure alone won’t prevent human trafficking. What is also needed is a robust human infrastructure, including training, awareness campaigns, law enforcement collaboration and accountability for those who knowingly profit from exploitation.
These global events inject millions into the local economy, boost tourism and elevate Atlanta’s international profile. But alongside these benefits come potential issues like large crowds, overwhelmed hospitality services and an influx of short-term rentals which can create the perfect storm for human trafficking to flourish and go undetected. The temporary nature of these events can also make it harder for law enforcement to track and respond to suspicious activity in a timely manner.
Georgia state Senators Ossoff and Warnock also recently co-led a bipartisan letter urging FIFA and host cities, including Atlanta, to integrate trafficking prevention into planning. In June 2025, FIFA published a World Cup 2026 Human Rights Framework, a guidance document developed for the 16 FIFA World Cup Host City Committees to help create a safer, more secure experience for everyone.
Legal Tools: Civil Lawsuits as Leverage After the Crime
While criminal prosecutions are essential for holding traffickers accountable, civil lawsuits offer additional leverage:
- Holding hotels, businesses, platforms and transport providers accountable – Companies can face civil liability if they knowingly facilitate trafficking. For example, if the business is negligent in screening employees or negligently provides safe harbor for trafficking operations or even a platform that allows commercial sex ads to be posted.
- Claiming damages for victims – Survivors can sue traffickers and enablers for physical and emotional distress, forced labor, loss of income, medical bills and other harms. Witnesses and additional victims may feel encouraged to come forward after seeing a successful civil case resolved.
- Uncovering additional crimes – Collecting information for a civil lawsuit can lead to discovery of additional human trafficking activity that may not otherwise be discovered.
- Incentivizing stronger compliance – Sizeable, significant judgments push industries to adopt anti-trafficking policies, like training of employees and better monitoring of premises, discouraging traffickers from targeting otherwise safe-harbors.
In the U.S., the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA) of 2003 granted victims of labor trafficking the legal right to file civil lawsuits against their traffickers. The 2008 update to the TVPRA broadened this right, enabling survivors of sex trafficking to also pursue civil action in federal court. It further empowered victims to seek damages from individuals or entities that negligently and/or knowingly profited, financially or otherwise, from the trafficking offenses.
States like Georgia are increasingly encouraging civil action, that often accompanies or proceeds alongside criminal prosecutions. The Georgia Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit has rescued nearly 200 minors through combined criminal and civil collaboration.
Isenberg & Hewitt’s Call to Action
It’s not only major events that attract human traffickers – it’s an ongoing situation that calls us to action. Indeed, the city of Atlanta is a major tourist hub and host city to a multitude of major events.
- Audit risk – Assess how hotels, transit systems and online platforms might be complicit in trafficking schemes.
- Implement training – Educate staff and contractors to recognize red flags.
- Strengthen contracts – By including anti-trafficking clauses with enforcement penalties in vendor agreements.
- Support survivors – Facilitate access to civil remedies, such as awarding damages and deterring negligence.
Atlanta’s position as a major international hub, paired with its proactive investments in anti-trafficking infrastructure and a robust legal framework, presents a unique opportunity for leadership. By combining intensified criminal enforcement with the strategic use of civil lawsuits, Atlanta can redefine what it means to be a responsible host city.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of human trafficking, please contact us. If you suspect somebody is being trafficked, or for other resources, please call or visit the National Human Trafficking Hotline website.