A Note From the Writers of Marvel's Cloak & Dagger

In the video, above, Niceole Levy, one of the writers on Marvel's Cloak & Dagger, shares a letter from the series' writers' room on why they wanted to tackle a story about human trafficking on this upcoming season.

Human trafficking is not only a huge issue globally, but also within America. Polaris, a leader in the global fight to eradicate modern slavery, analyzed more than 32,000 cases of human trafficking documented between December 2007 and December 2016 through its operation of the National Human Trafficking Hotline and BeFree Textline—the largest data set on human trafficking in the United States ever compiled and publicly analyzed. Read the full 2017 report here.

Polaris has resources on the types of trafficking and how to recognize the signs of victims of human trafficking including, but not limited to:

• Is not free to leave or come and go at will
• Is fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid
• Shows signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture
• Is frequently monitored
• Is not allowed or able to speak for themselves
• Shares scripted, confusing, or inconsistent stories
• Protects the person who may be hurting them or minimizes abuse

See the full list here. This list is not exhaustive and represents only a selection of possible indicators. The red flags in this list may not be present in all trafficking cases. Each individual indicator should be taken in context, not be considered in isolation, nor should be taken as “proof” that human trafficking is occurring. Additionally, cultural differences should also be considered.

To request help or report suspected human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text "help" to BeFree (233733).

Since 2007, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline and Polaris's BeFree Textline have learned of and responded to 32,000 instances of human trafficking across the United States.

For more information, visit Polaris and head to: www.polarisproject.org.