SPRINGFIELD, Ill. –As of July 1, hotels and motels are required to post a notice informing the public about the availability of the National Human Trafficking Resource Center anti-trafficking hotline, under legislation backed by state Rep. Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg.

“Human trafficking is a tragic and hideous reality that we must tackle head on as a community,” said Mussman. “By giving victims the opportunity to contact police to free themselves from their oppressors, we are returning power to the powerless.”

Illinois is a transportation hub for traffic and business movement across the country. Mussman helped pass legislation to make available to the public information about the national anti-trafficking hotline, adding Illinois to the list of states working in a united way to stop this crime. The National Human Trafficking Resource Center operates a toll-free hotline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to assist victims of human trafficking as well as people looking to report information about potential human trafficking activity at 1-888-373-7888. Since Dec. 2007, more than 90,000 tips have been reported through the hotline, and Mussman wants to ensure that information about it is available to members of the community.

“Often times, victims of human trafficking are unable to stand up for themselves, even in public settings,” said Mussman. “The more people who know how to get help, the better the chance that victims will get the assistance and resources they need and the stronger hope we have of stopping trafficking and organized crime.”

For more information, please contact Mussman’s constituent service office at 847-923-9104 or by email at StateRepMussman@gmail.com.