Colorado Springs non-profit helps fight human trafficking by finding victims on social media

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado Springs-based global non-profit, The Exodus Road is working to lead Southern Colorado law enforcement to human trafficking victims.

The non-profit says it's using social media to find possible human trafficking cases. The organization then brings the potential leads to the Colorado Springs Police Department for a thorough investigation.

Vice President of International Programs for The Exodus Road Andrew Hoskins said the internet has become the organization's best tool yet.

"Our cyber analytics has really developed over the years and has become increasingly important as more information has gone to the internet," added Hoskins.

According to the non-profit, the red flags looked for online vary from case to case.

"Keywords such as 'the person is being moved' or we notice that they are moving a lot, or what that person is wearing, all that information is in a post even if they didn't write it in the post," explained Hoskins.

In August, social media played a huge role in helping law enforcement rescue eleven child victims in a major operation by the FBI unit in Denver.

By using the key information on the internet, the non-profit can provide leads to law enforcement.

"Sometimes what that support looks like is being able to put in the long hours of just searching through lots of information on the internet to try to identify potential victims of human trafficking, to try to find people who might have probable cause," said Hoskins.

Since its inception, Exodus Road has helped more than 1,700 victims.

The non-profit is always looking for volunteers, for more click here.