“When we investigate human trafficking, we investigate a crime,” says Annie Kelly, a journalist for the Guardian, who has written a series of reports on modern slavery, trafficking and labor exploitation. “You are dealing with a criminal sector, which poses a risk to you and your local resources, or anyone you are collaborating with.” Kelly participated in the Outlaw Ocean Project, which reports on labor exploitation and environmental abuse at sea - spoke about their experiences documenting human trafficking around the world, and the safety challenges they faced during their work. Urbina and Kelly worked as journalists and editors of stories about labor exploitation in supply chains, modern cross-border slavery and human trafficking, and their investigations often revealed the true costs of globalized industries. Ian Urbina, founder of the Outlaw Ocean Project. Photo: Courtesy of Outlaw Ocean Project “We have tried to look at the things we all use, consume and wear, we have tried to tell the stories of those people at the bottom of these supply chains, and we have tried to uncover how labor exploitation and human trafficking can thrive under these systems.” These in-depth investigations can take months and require careful planning and coordination. However, even with extensive planning, work in this field can still be dangerous due to the unpredictable nature of the journalistic field. “The truth is that everything changes when you get to the field depending on the resources you need,” Urbina said. However, his team spends months planning investigative reporting trips, which is critical to maintaining the team's safety. Urbina explained in detail the process his team followed when they worked on the route of sub-Saharan migrants to Libya and then to Lampedusa in Italy. Among his advice: Divide your team into complementary groups: the investigation for the Ocean Outlaw project, which means creating a “field” team that continued to research Libyan migrant detention centers and investigated the death of a migrant in one of those centers, and an “outside” team that spent five weeks on a ship chartered by the aid organization Medical Doctors Without Borders. Plan your itinerary and exit strategies: Urbina said pre-flight meetings focused on defining daily itineraries and assessing risks for each step of the way. Once the security assessment was completed, the team established emergency protocols in the event of arrest or detention (emergency contacts, useful resources inside and outside the country). Daily inspection: The team had an oral inspection policy with the field team via satellite phone every six to twelve hours. Thanks to their employees working remotely from different countries, there will be two people online around the clock to communicate with the external team. Create an emergency document: Urbina and his team took the time to update a comprehensive document containing the phone numbers of everyone you might need to contact, in what order, in what context, and what that person would do for you. This list includes US contacts from the White House, congressional staff, and law enforcement. It also includes regional and country figures for trusted organizations such as the Red Cross, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. See the insurance policy for everyone and everything: “Urbina” talked about the importance of buying insurance and understanding the policy, insurance for the journalists themselves and for the expensive equipment they will bring with them. Make sure you get proper medical coverage, protect equipment, and learn how to file claims for insurance. Urbina said: “I understand that no matter how equipped you are, there are inherent risks in the investigation into human trafficking. The more complex the place you are going to be, the more difficult it will be to follow these [safety] checklists.” Since most of the reports that the Outlaw Ocean project performs take place at sea, their work protocols face ongoing challenges, such as network weaknesses that prevent scheduled communications. Migrants rescued off the coast of Libya on a rescue ship operated by Doctors Without Borders. Photo: EdO, Courtesy of The Outlaw Ocean Project Safety during reporting It's best not to get noticed from the start, but being a journalist can save you in difficult situations: "If possible, take your press card with you," Kelly advises. In 2013, Guardian reporter Pete Pattison investigated Qatar's use of forced labor in preparation for the 2022 World Cup. Kelly and her team worked to protect Pattison while in Qatar as well as his sources, vulnerable people forced to work and live in migrant camps. Because the story was not yet widely known, Bateson was "relatively" protected when he began investigating inside Qatar. He entered the country on his passport as a tourist, to avoid attracting the attention of the government. Annie Kelly from The Guardian. Photo: screenshot Kelly explained that the strategy was to work lightly, and as anonymously as possible. She advised journalists working in similar circumstances to: Don't stay too long: Moving between sites quickly means that journalists avoid detection. In Qatar, for example, a reporter would spend no more than 45 minutes in one place to avoid drawing attention to himself. Assess Road Access: In the risk assessment prior to leaving Pattison, the team was ensuring road access to the labor camps they were going to visit. The journalist was reporting to a trusted person in Qatar and another outside the country inEvery time he goes to a camp. Change your location frequently, meet at different times Kelly suggested that reporters stay in the same hotel for no more than two days in a row, and that they schedule meetings at different locations and times. Use prepaid phones: Changing SIM cards frequently can help secure your communications. A football stadium construction site in Doha, Qatar, in preparation for the 2022 Men's World Cup. Photo: Shutterstock Bateson communicated with editor Kelly twice a day. Prior to the trip, the team reached out to local and international NGOs to ensure good communication while Pattison was in Qatar. Urbina offered these additional tips: Use a satellite tracker: If you can afford it, consider buying a GPS tracking device. All Outlaw Ocean Project employees wear small beltmounted Garmin trackers. These devices have the feature of calling for help and communicate by satellite. Essential items that the journalist must carry with him at all times: The journalist on the external team always carries cash in the local currency, his passport, his identity card and copies of a laminated card containing basic information about him such as his allergies, his blood type, and other important information in a health emergency. Journalists hide these cards under the soles of their shoes and in pockets hidden in their backpacks. These items are important if journalists are separated or if their possessions are confiscated. Assess goals and safety daily: Checking in and discussing aspirations for the next day is important. The team adapts to circumstances as their journey progresses and changes their itinerary as needed. They also make sure in advance that all field team members are comfortable with the plan each day, giving them the option to opt out of that day if they need to. trust your intuition The two journalists highlighted the importance of the journalist trusting his intuition when it comes to personal safety, and they talked about the importance of getting out of situations that raise your concern even if you cannot clearly identify the source of the danger. Suggest that journalists follow these ground rules when conducting interviews: Avoid giving interviews at night, in bars or in situations where people drink alcohol. Get in and out quickly: don't spend hours in the same location. The longer you stay somewhere, the more dangerous it is for others to discover you and interfere. Do not meet victims of human trafficking in their homes or workplaces. Kelly and Urbina recommended that you speak with them at bus stops, restaurants, or other safe places away from the victim's daily environment. Do a camouflaging activity. Urbina recommends engaging in an activity while conducting an interview on a ship, so that it is not clear to passersby that you are interviewing. “In a strange way, this camouflage could come in handy later on,” Urbina said. Kelly added that a reporter in Qatar conducted interviews on a horse in the carousel of horses in the amusement park to conceal his interview. Urbina recommends that you keep track of your sources for their safety and for your journalistic work. If the source is concerned about giving you their phone number, ask them if they can connect you to a relative in their country of origin, so that they can act as an intermediary between you and them and communicate with your source through them. Investigation in your country Investigating human trafficking in your country presents an additional challenge: you cannot leave once the story has been published, as is the case with a foreign journalist. “It is important that your managers support you and your stories,” Kelly said. She recommends partnering with a larger organization - or an international organization - that has the clout to help. It can also be helpful to boost your social media presence to increase your public visibility. “External journalists have the obvious advantage of being able to get out of the country. I think that by being there local journalists can and should think about building long-term relationships with powerful people in the country,” Urbina advised. This means building a human relationship with the police, lawyers, and others who can protect you while investigating a long-term story. Finally, it is essential that you understand the laws of your country to be able to operate safely, and that you understand media and liability laws in particular. "Ian Urbina" on board an Indonesian patrol ship called "Makan" as it chases a number of Vietnamese fishing boats in a disputed area in the South China Sea. Photo: Courtesy of “Urbina” Journalism or advocacy? What do you owe to your sources? Speakers discussed how journalists' sense of responsibility for their sources has changed. It's now common for you to stay in touch with your sources after a story has been published, which can make you question the line between journalism and advocacy. “I think the obligation to follow up 25 years ago was not legitimate, you know,” Urbina said. “There used to be a much bigger wall between journalism and ‘advocacy’, but now I think there is not only a level of relief, but it is expected that it is your duty as a journalist to think about what will happen to the sources – whether named or not – after the story is published.” The Guardian's investigative journalists face the ethical dilemma of assessing what they owe to their sources. Editors and reporters talk throughout the investigation to determine the best course of action and take some basic precautions. “In our attempts to infuse the story, we are not giving any indication or any attributes that could lead to the identification of these workers,” Kelly said. If we talk to agency workers, for example in factories, we make sure to disguise the identity of the workers.” Kelly said her team does more than dictate the Guardian's editorial charter to protect sources when needed. The team is required to remain anonymous and remove any information about the source's family, home, or agency. Preserving your source's story is essential, Kelly added, but it's also essential to think about the impact your journalistic work had on his life. Part of protecting your sources is managing their expectations by stating the harmful consequences your investigation might cause, as well as telling them what you hope the investigation will achieve. Urbina recommended having a calm and frank conversation initially with the source about what you plan to do with the information, and what will or won't happen. Finally, Kelly noted, it's always important to ask, "Is the story worth the risk to yourself and others?" Watch the full webinar below.