NASHVILLE, TN - Aerial Recovery, a Nashville, Tennessee-based non-profit organization founded by Britnie Turner and her now-husband Jeremy Locke, a 20-year Army Special Forces veteran, has signed an MOU with the government of Honduras to battle human trafficking, they announced in a press release.
“This powerful new partnership is aimed at significantly intensifying efforts to combat human trafficking and sexual exploitation, particularly targeting the rescue and recovery of vulnerable children,” the release read.
“Through this MOU, Aerial Recovery will work directly with Honduran authorities on prevention, training, operational support, and aftercare services for trafficking victims. The agreement grants the organization essential access to government intelligence, logistical support, and law enforcement collaboration, tools critical to identifying trafficking networks, rescuing victims, and supporting the prosecution of perpetrators,” it read.
“Aerial Recovery now has similar agreements in place in Argentina and Mexico, and active programs in Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, Guatemala, Dominican Republic, the USA, Spain, and Costa Rica, creating a strong global footprint.”
Turner spoke about the mission of Aerial Recovery's efforts in Honduras.
“Our mission is to save lives and stop evil,” she said. “This partnership strengthens our boots-on-the-ground capabilities in Honduras, enabling us to save more lives and help survivors reclaim their futures.”
The MOU was signed between Aerial Recovery's, a 503(c)(3) non-profit, and Ministerio Publico of Honduras, the country’s attorney general’s office.
According to the release, “Honduras is one of the most affected countries in the Western Hemisphere when it comes to human trafficking, particularly for sexual exploitation and forced labor.”
- “Honduras remains a Tier 2 Watch List country, meaning it fails to meet the minimum standards for eliminating trafficking, but is making significant efforts. The recent MOU with Aerial Recovery indicates a true commitment to combating those challenges and saving lives.
- “The country is a major source, transit, and destination for trafficking victims. The State Department reports that the Honduran government took action against over 300 incidents of human trafficking during the last 3 years, but were only able to address a small fraction of the problem due to a lack of resources and logistical challenges.
- “Children account for a large portion of trafficking victims in Honduras, many forced into commercial sexual exploitation both domestically and across borders.
- “Widespread poverty, gang activity, and weak institutional enforcement have created a breeding ground for exploitation.”
The MOU hopes to accomplish the following objectives:
- Deploy teams more rapidly in response to actionable intelligence about suspected trafficking activity;
- Train local law enforcement and investigators in counter-trafficking operations and survivor-sensitive response techniques;
- Support survivor aftercare with medical, psychological, and reintegration resources through local and international partners;
- Collaborate directly with the Ministerio Publico to strengthen the pipeline of evidence collection and successful prosecution of traffickers.
Aerial Recovery believes the collaboration with the government of Honduras represents “a vital step forward in building a sustainable and scalable model for dismantling trafficking networks in Honduras and beyond.”
“Aerial Recovery has led anti-human trafficking missions across Latin America, including in the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Haiti, and along key migration routes in Central America. Their veteran-led teams have supported the rescue of hundreds of victims–primarily women and children–while training local authorities, gathering intelligence, and strengthening survivor aftercare. Through strategic partnerships and ground-level action, Aerial Recovery is building long-term capacity to dismantle trafficking networks across the region.”
Turner believes the collaboration can create lasting change for the country.
“Real, lasting change only happens through trusted partnerships,” she said. “Together with the Honduran government, we will create a more secure future for vulnerable populations and bring justice to those who exploit them.”
Stateside, Aerial Recovery assisted with the California wildfires response, assisting with containment, coordinating evacuations, conducting welfare checks, providing medical assistance, and clearing fire lines to protect homes and critical infrastructure.
You can reach their website here if you want to support their mission through a one-time or recurring monthly donation. To donate resources, click here. Finally, if you want to get involved as a volunteer, click here.
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