Minnesotans Should Learn To Spot This Important Hand Signal!

Summer is a great time to get out and travel across the #BoldNorth and state lines. The next time you are on the road, or at the airport you should keep an eye out for an important signal, that could potentially save a life. The hand signal indicates that the individual is being trafficked and they need help. So what should you be looking for?

The Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport has put up signs in restrooms across its terminals, that educate the public on the hand signal they should be looking for to assist someone who is being trafficked.

The hand signal is pretty simple, and many wouldn't give the signal a second glance if they didn't know what it meant. The person being trafficked will have their thumb tucked into their palm with four fingers raised, then close their hand around their thumb.

This is the signal that the person requires help, as they are being trafficked against their will. If you see someone flash you this sign, you should immediately notify law enforcement/security/TSA.

The Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport actually put this hand signal in their monthly newsletter they send out, here is what they had to say about the signal and how it's internationally recognized.

The hand signal related to human trafficking starts with an open hand, held up with the thumb tucked in the palm, and the fingers then folded down over the thumb. Once the hand signal is seen by an individual, that person can alert police by texting or dialing 911.

More than 40 organizations across Canada and the United States have recognized the hand signal as a useful tool against trafficking.

Human trafficking involves someone being controlled by someone else to provide labor or sex for a third person’s benefit. Airports are known to be key transit hubs for such activity in the U.S. Victims often end up in places where they have no connections.

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So the next time you are at the airport, or on the road and you see someone 'waving' strangely, know they might be trying to signal you that they need help!