Stop Human Trafficking in Missouri

Stop Human Trafficking

In 2018, Missouri approved House Bill 1246 to combat the scourge of human trafficking by requiring the placement of posters containing resources to assist human trafficking victims in many public buildings throughout the state of Missouri.

Human trafficking occurs when a trafficker uses force, fraud or coercion to control another person for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts or soliciting labor or services against his/her will.

In accordance with HB 1246, the Missouri Department of Public Safety has created this web page so that businesses, government agencies, nonprofits and anyone else may download a poster containing national and state assistance for human trafficking victims.

The toll-free 1-888-3737-888 hotline is:

  • Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  • Operated by a non-profit, non-governmental organization.
  • Anonymous and confidential.
  • Accessible in 170 languages.
  • Able to provide help, referral to services, training, and general information.

Under HB 1246, beginning March 1, 2019, the Missouri Stop Human Trafficking poster shall be displayed in a conspicuous place in or near the bathrooms or near the entrance of each of the following establishments:

  • Hotels, motels, or other establishments that have been cited as a public nuisance for prostitution under section 567.080;
  • Strip clubs or other sexually oriented businesses;
  • Private clubs that have a liquor permit for on-premises consumption, do not hold themselves out to be food service establishments, and are not affiliated with any nonprofit fraternal, athletic, religious, or veteran organizations;
  • Airports;
  • Train stations that serve passengers;
  • Emergency rooms within general acute care hospitals;
  • Urgent care centers;
  • Privately operated job recruitment centers;
  • Businesses or establishments that offer massage or body work services for compensation by individuals who are not licensed under section 324.265;
  • Women's health centers;
  • Abortion facilities as defined in section 188.015;
  • Family planning clinics;
  • Maternity homes as defined in section 135.600;
  • Pregnancy resource centers as defined in section 135.630;
  • Bus stations;
  • Truck stops. For the purposes of this section, "truck stops" shall mean privately owned and operated facilities that provide food, fuel, shower or other sanitary facilities, and lawful overnight parking; and
  • Roadside rest areas.

Any owner or operator of an establishment required to post the human trafficking hotline notice under subsection 2 of this section who fails to comply with the requirement shall receive a written warning for the first violation and may be guilty of an infraction for any subsequent violation.

To obtain a copy of the poster, the owners or operators of an establishment required to post the human trafficking hotline as noted above, may print the online poster from this website or request that the poster be mailed for the cost of printing and first class postage.