Operation Underground Railroad is a non-profit founded by Tim Ballard and Mark Stott which assists governments around the world in the rescue of human trafficking and sex trafficking victims, with a special focus on children. O.U.R. also aids with planning, prevention, capture, and prosecution of offenders, and works with partner organizations for prevention, victim recovery, strengthened awareness, and fundraising efforts. The organization has been documented for their covert operations with jump teams consisting of former CIA agents, U.S. Special Operations Forces Members, and other support volunteers. Operation Underground Railroad's ultimate goal is to eliminate sex trafficking world-wide. As of April 2016, Operation Underground Railroad reports 529 victims rescued, and 182 traffickers arrested.
History
Ballard served 12 years as a U.S. Special Agent for the Department of Homeland Security, on the Internet Crimes against Children Task Force and the U.S. Child Sex Tourism Jump Team. He helped infiltrate and dismantle dozens of trafficking organizations that kidnapped children and forced them into the sex slave industry. However, as a U.S. agent, he was not authorized to rescue children if their cases lacked a U.S. or if the case could not be tried in a U.S. court. Ballard was frustrated with the lack of strategies employed to rescue enslaved children in underdeveloped nations and left the government in October 2013 to found Operation Underground Railroad.
Operations
Operation Underground Railroad works with supporting governments and organizations in one or more of the following activities: prevention, discovery, preparation, rescue, and victim recovery programs. Operations are segments of any coordinated effort, training and/or direct involvement to rescue enslaved children. Operation Underground Railroad does not work independently, or without government participation and support. To help raise awareness, support, and funding, Gerald R. Molen, approached Ballard to document preparation and activity relating to a few covert operations. The documentary film was released in early 2016, titled The Abolitionists.
