Published May 22 2026
Given the risk of human trafficking to occur when large crowds gather for global sporting events, the city is partnering with Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking (BEST) to offer free training on how to identify and report trafficking ahead of World Cup soccer games in Seattle next month.
BEST’s training helps people identify signs of exploitation, take safe action in response and generally prevent trafficking. These resources are expected to be especially helpful for Eastside small businesses and their employees in June and July, when a surge of international visitors is expected here for the World Cup.
The free online training can be taken any time with registration at Human Trafficking Awareness Training. An information session about human trafficking awareness, followed by a question-and-answer session, will be at 11 a.m., Monday, June 1, at City Hall.
According to BEST, human trafficking has been identified in over 25 industries, including retail, restaurants, finance, transportation and recreation. BEST’s training can be used for staff in any industry and also can help anyone hosting an event.
These trainings are informational only, and do not constitute legal advice. They are not a substitute for contacting the appropriate criminal justice authorities.