Every year, countless boys and young men fall victim to sex trafficking, an aspect of human trafficking that remains overlooked in many anti-trafficking efforts. To combat this, the Texas Trucking Association has teamed up with state government, Titus Transport, Bob's House of Hope to launch what they say is a first-of-its-kind trucking campaign, “Boys and Young Men are Sex Trafficked Too.”

"As proud Texans, we are honored to lead the nation with this new initiative as part of a global effort during National Human Trafficking Prevention Month,” said Bob Williams, Founder and CEO of Ranch Hand Rescue and Bob's House of Hope, the first safe house in the country dedicated to male survivors of sex trafficking. 

“We are incredibly excited for this multi-pronged partnership between our non-profit, the trucking industry and state government to help spread the critical message that boys are sex trafficked too.” 

Stickers for Trucks: 'Boys Are Trafficked Too'

As part of the initiative, stickers will be made available for placement on the back of semi-trailers to help spread the message.

"Advertising a hotline phone number on Titus Transport trucks is something I am honored to do,” said Titus Transport CEO and State Senator Brent Hagenbuch. “Just the opportunity to save one trafficked life makes this collaboration worthwhile.”

"Human trafficking is currently the second largest criminal enterprise in the world,” said Lt. Greg Reyero, Texas Department of Public Safety. 

“While the majority of attention tends to focus on the trafficking of women and girls, it is crucial to remember that boys are trafficked as well. The misconception that boys are not victims of human trafficking often leads to their suffering being overlooked.

“Bob’s House of Hope and Ranch Hands Rescue shines a light on this issue by taking a trauma informed approach to work with male survivors."

Inspiring Trucking Companies to Shine a Light on Male Sex Trafficking

Launched during National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the campaign seeks to raise public awareness about the often-overlooked exploitation of boys and young men in sex trafficking. 

The initiative hopes to encourage action by inspiring other trucking companies to adopt similar awareness campaigns, and support survivors by highlighting resources such as Bob's House of Hope.

“Human trafficking is a heinous crime that strips individuals of their fundamental rights to life, liberty, and dignity,” said Senator Tan Parker. 

“For 18 years, I have led efforts to strengthen policies that protect the most vulnerable, focusing on awareness, reporting, survivors, punishing predators, and designating January as Human Tracking Awareness Month in Texas. 

“This session, we will continue the fight, ensuring Texas has the resources to help all victims, including boys and young men, while putting traffickers behind bars. Partnering with leaders like the Texas Trucking Association and Bob’s House of Hope, we will shine a light on this evil, making sure boys are never forgotten and keeping Texas at the forefront of combating human trafficking.”   

This effort complements the state's existing initiatives, including billboard campaigns across 70 cities. 

“This campaign represents a monumental step forward in addressing the hidden crisis of boys and young men being victims of sex trafficking,” said John D. Esparza, TXTA President and CEO.

“By leveraging the reach of the trucking industry, we’re sending a powerful message across Texas and beyond: No victim should be overlooked.” 

For more information about this campaign or to purchase stickers, contact Bob Williams with Ranch Hand Rescue at bob@ranchhandsrescue.org.