Design Thinking Process: e3 

e3  
Discovery Phase-Checklist
Parts 1, 2, 3
Due: Oct. 30, 2017

Bianca, ​Sharyce, ​Taylor,​ ​Asia

Work with your design thinking team to take notes about each part of the Design Thinking
Process that you complete together. After you feel that you have fully explored each step of
the three parts listed, change the checkbox to a check mark. Return to and revise each part as
needed.

Define the mission for the design thinking process - Discovery Phase Part 1

❏ Identify/define the challenge - Restate your problem statement:

How do we raise awareness for hotel sex trafficking in San Diego?-

Putting up posters, signs or talking to people.
- Protesting, spreading the news, and advertising
- Getting hotels to advertise awareness

❏ Identify/define the audience (end users) -- Who will benefit from solving our problem
statement? These are the end users:

1) Families, Big Cities, Hotel Owners, Escort head, Prostitutes, Clients, Young girls/boys, Hotel
employees
2) The police
3) People who are trapped in sex trafficking
4) The City
5) Activists
6) Baby sitters, friends
7) Neighbors
 ❏ Share what you think you know about each end user (needs, challenges, background, etc.):

Families/ Young boys & girls: Both parties are affected by what the victim had to go through
Traffickers will treat young boys and girls the way they have been treated or do it for money.
Friends and families are affected because if they speak out about a victim they could be put in jail
because prostitution is illegal.
Hotel owners may lose business when word gets out of sex trafficking in their hotel.

❏ Identify what you don’t know:

- We know that sometimes sex trafficking is not by choice and is forced slavery.
- We also know that sex trafficking is a type of modern day slavery.
- How do hotel employees notice trafficking? Why don’t they intervene? Do they undergo
training to do so?
- We don’t know that young boys and girls might not report because their scared
- We know that some young boys or girls go missing because they have been trafficked
- Where hotel sex trafficking is most common

Prepare for Research – Discovery Part 2

❏ Make a plan for your research: How will we complete our research over the course of the
next two weeks?:
Each group member finds an article to research as well as two questions to ask an end user and expert.
Become familiar with hotel procedures and training to come up with a way to incorporate trafficking
prevention
Research specific areas in San Diego where sex trafficking is at an all time high.
Reduce the percentage of young kids and women who have been trafficked

❏ Revisit: Identify the end users, experts and other sources of information:

End Users: Young girls/boys, Hotel employees

Articles found:
- https://theguardiangroup.org/how-hotels-and-hotel-personnel-can-be-held-criminally-liable-for-human
-trafficking/
- https://skift.com/2017/11/04/hotel-and-motel-employees-can-be-a-force-in-spotting-human-trafficking/
- https://www.hotelmanagement.net/security/5-tips-for-combatting-human-trafficking-hotels
- https://www.fastcompany.com/40510138/hotels-are-key-in-the-fight-to-end-human-trafficking
- https://www.ahla.com/issues/human-trafficking
- https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/hospitalityindustry
- https://medium.com/your-wake-up-call/hotels-can-increase-awareness-action-to-protect-children-from
-sex-trafficking-d56717c92d7c
- https://polarisproject.org/sites/default/files/human-trafficking-hotel-industry-recommendations.pdf
- https://www.tourismpartnership.org/.../hotels-can-work-together-prevent-trafficking-p…
- https://www.nbcsandiego.com/.../Efforts-to-Prevent-Human-Trafficking-in-Schools-H…
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/.../02/...hotels...human-trafficking.../336959002/
- www.hotelnewsnow.com/.../What-hoteliers-can-do-to-better-fight-human-trafficking
- lodgingmagazine.com/five-resources-preventing-human-trafficking/

❏ Users (sometimes called the audience) - who can we contact and how?:

We can contact hotel employees and ask them if they have seen trafficking happening in the
building. Or if they were ever suspicious of the obstruction happening.
Victims that went through trafficking in hotels and how they would’ve liked to be helped? And
contact probably from article sources or interviews.
Contact parents/ guardians or different family member

❏ Build questions to ask the end users (think of as MANY relevant questions to ask as
possible):

- Have they supported any awareness of sex trafficking?

- Do hotel employees undergo training to understand/prevent sex trafficking
- How did the experience of sex trafficking affect victims?
- Why do you believe hotel employees don't contact police?
- Why is sex trafficking often seen but not oftenly taken care of by authorities/police?
- How can parents know about their kids when they need help?
- How can more kids be aware and protect themselves?
 ❏ Build questions to ask the experts:

- How simple/easy is it to hold a trafficking ring in a hotel?

- How many incidents of trafficking have been reported?
- Why victims don't speak out on what happened to them?
- Why hotels aren’t more aware of hotel sex trafficking?
- What state has the highest sex trafficking rate?
- What city has the highest sex trafficking rate?
- Why won’t if someone sees something bad or mysterious say something?
- What can volunteers, the city or someone do to keep kids away from strangers?

❏ Make a plan for conducting the fieldwork:

Visiting hotels and understanding their check in policies?

Email hotel managers asking for an interview??
Contact hotel employees as well to ask for an interview
Contact victims who are willing to talk about their sex trafficking experience
Talk with principles,teachers managers etc. from schools or business?

❏ Set the schedule for your work on the discovery phase:

By October 19, everyone has 1 article on their topic of research, and an end user to contact
Research for an expert that we could be about to contact
By October 19 everyone has reached out to a expert or someone associated with our topic.
By October 19 everyone has a plan to share information with people who don’t know about human
trafficking or what they can do to help.

❏ Determine who will do what by when:

Article: How to combat human trafficking in hotels End User:
We will all find one article and begin to extract the information it holds.
Each of us with find an end user or expert to contact by October 19
We will break down information about our topic and explain the important details

❏ What do you plan to report back?:

Ways civilians, hotel employees/managers/owners, can identify sex trafficking and prevent it
I plan to report back reasons or answers to my questions of why sex trafficking is not spoken out
about. And maybe some observations of how hotel owner tend to dodge the questions.
Why hotel sex trafficking has been overlooked and ideas on how to build awareness
People who want to help end human trafficking themselves or help and keep kids from getting hurt.

❏ When do you plan to report back?:

By October 19?
By October 19
By October 19
October 19

❏ Did you dig deep enough?:

Probably, I haven’t read the articles yet.

Yes, I think so.
I might have
Yes, as far as I can tell
Conduct the Research (Gathering Inspiration) – Discovery Phase Part 3

❏ Immerse yourself in context

❏ Learn from groups

❏ Learn from experts

❏ Learn from peers observing peers

❏ Learn from people’s self documentation

❏ Seek inspiration in new places

❏ KEEP AN OPEN MIND!!

Research Findings:

Contacts:
- https://theguardiangroup.org/
- http://generatehope.org/our-mission/
E-mail

To: ​info@generatehope.org​ or ​contact@theguardiangroup.us

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am a senior at E3 Civic High in San Diego, CA. I am participating in a Design Thinking project as part of my
course work. The topic is Sex Trafficking. My classmate would love the opportunity to meet with your
organization to gather information and data regarding Sex Trafficking. As well if your calendar does not
permit a meeting information resources are greatly appreciated. Our goal is to understand Sex Trafficking to
develop creative solutions to stop this crime.

I look forward to speaking with you.

Sincerely,
Taylor Williams

1)​“​In 2000, Congress passed The U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA)”​:

● “The law extends punishment much further and is not limited to just traffickers.”

○ “The TVPA states that hotel staff and employees can be held criminally liable, especially in the
case of willfully disregarding sex trafficking of minors.”
○ Hotel owners should be aware that a hotel, as a corporation, can be held liable for the actions
of its employees even if management had no knowledge that a criminal act was being
conducted on the premises.
○ The TVPA states that “whoever knowingly benefits, or receives anything of value, from
participation, in disregard of the fact that the use of force,fraud, or coercion was used to cause
the person to engage in the act shall be punished.
○ “ The prosecution does not need to prove that a hotel employee personally used “force, fraud,
or coercion” against a victim. It is sufficient that the employee participated by renting a room to
the trafficker, knowingly in disregard of the fact that force, threat and, fraud were being used to
cause a minor victim to engage in commercial sex.

2) ​What Can People Do To Help:

● Theroulghy Educate yourself on the topic

● When you witness sighns of sex trafficking reach out to helpful organizations and hotlines to report
what you saw
● “Human trafficking often operates alongside legitimate businesses”

○ “A number of corporations use human trafficking and forced labor as a means to making the
most profit on their product”
○ In Georgia, massage parlors operated without legetimate licenseing—and often hosted
commercial sex trades. The organization S.T.O.P lobbied the city council, secretary of state,
and state senator to pass SB 364 law, making it a illegal for all massage parlors to operate
under false licensing.

● The people’s voices are powerful your community and your state

○ “If you want to see something done about human trafficking in your area, reach out to your
local politicians”

3) ​Why dont they run?​:

● “Victims are bound by invisible chains as traffickers groom their victims using manipulation and drug
addiction”
● Traffickers first establish relationships with their victims

○ They pretend to be interested in romantic relationships

○ They promise glamurous careers like modeling or singing
○ After the relationship begins, traffickers may use violence as a way to gain control
○ Emotional abuse (victims seek the love and approval from the relationship when it was first
established)

● Manipulation is involved

○ Vulnerable youths are targeted and traficcers use their vulnerabilities to exploit them
 ○ Trafficers use the victums longing for love,affection, money, and praise to their advantages
○ Victims may receive praise from their trafficker when they lie to a police or earn a lot of money
○ “Their praise can become a driving force motivating a victim and as a result, the trafficker gains
even more control”.
○ They live to please their trafficker
○ “Victims may even receive a different name and take on a separate identity, giving the
trafficker full control to create an individual that belongs to them and lives for their approval”.

4) ​Victums often times have drug addiction

● Traficers frequently supply their victums drugs

○ Traffickers threaten to withhold drugs or give more as a reward for good behavior
● “Many survivors have said the influence of drugs was the only way to endure the horrific and
demeaning acts they were forced to perform in trafficking”.
○ Drugs are somewhat a survival strategy
● Victims often suffer from Stockholm syndrome
○ Feelings of trust or affection felt in certain cases of kidnapping or hostage-taking by a victim
toward a captor.

5) ​Statistical Data

● 1 in 3 teens will be lured into prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home

● 75-95% of victims were sexually assaulted as children
● 83% of victims in confirmed sex trafficking cases are US citizens
● Homeless, runaways & throwaway children are targeted
○ Victims of child abuse or domestic violence
○ Children in an unstable or neglectful home environments
○ Individuals with low self esteem or missing a parent figure in their lives
○ Individuals looking to improve their lives
○ Anyone with access to the Internet

Asia Knox:
Contacts: Judges, citizens, families of the victim
Articles 1:​International Tourism Partnership

From the first article and resource called International Tourism Partnership is: Hotels can work together to
prevent Trafficking in People. Members called ITP are aware of the risk to their supply chain of modern
slavery and human trafficking which is why they collaborate to help end this often unsee crime. This article is
about people who are a member or volunteer who are aware of the traffickers and work together to help end
this issue.

Article 2:​Efforts to Prevent Human Trafficking in Schools, Hotels Underway

From this second article the San Diego Board of Supervisors backed efforts to work with schools and the
hotel industry to report human trafficking across the region. This article talks about people who are going to
connect and have communication with schools and hotels to report about human trafficking.

Article 3:​ Our hotels are fighting human trafficking, but we can’t do it alone: Marriott CEO
From this third article, in the United States over 4,400 sex trafficking cases were reported to the National
Human Trafficking Resource Center. It’s unfortunate that traffickers sometimes use hotels to export victims
and commit their crime. Seven years ago people teamed with either the End Child Prostitution or the
ECPAT-USA, which is a non-profit policy organization and they focus on ending sexual exploration of
children. What this article talks about is people are working with organizations to help end human trafficking
and these organizations are going to fight.

Article 4:​What hoteliers can do to better fight human trafficking

Human trafficking is an ongoing problem around the world and in the U.S, but the hotel industry is positioned
to help stop it. There is a training called the AAHOA’S Human Trafficking Awareness Training that helps
participants understand constitutes trafficking, the resources and identifying its signs.
This article explains about the training you can do to understand and learn how to end human trafficking.

Article 5:​ Five Resources for Preventing Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is a fast growing crime and hotels across every sector and market are at risk for becoming
located. To improve fights against trafficking, hoteliers could look into industry organizations, nonprofits
combating human trafficking and law enforcement. This article talks about and explains about hotels needing
to look and go to industries, law enforcement etc. to help end trafficking and improve fights for people who are
against trafficking.

Sharyce Ferrell:
Contacts: American Hotel and Lodging Association & ​CHARLES W. SPITZ
Hotels are the Key in the Fight to End Human Sex Trafficking​(Link):
● Signs of Sex Trafficking in Hotels:
- “If a guest pays in cash or requests a room with access to an exit, that’s a red flag,” said
Ritz-Carlton team trainer Wendy Hunter,
- Guest speaks for another person in their party-
- Seems too protective of them
- Lingers outside their room for long periods of time
- Wears same clothes everyday
● “It’s not just low-end hotels—this problem is endemic,” says Philadelphia attorney ​Charles Spitz​, who
follows the issue as the leader of the hospitality practice at Post & Schell PC.
● Modern-day slavery is far more pervasive than you’d think. Some estimates project that ​24.9 million
people worldwide​ are victims of labor and sex trafficking, according to the International Labour
Organization
● Hotels that contain sex trafficking receive a bad reputation, lawsuits, and loss of business

Human Trafficking Prevention​(Link):

● Human trafficking is considered modern day slavery
● Estimates show that thousands of men, women, and children are getting trafficked each year
● Trafficking networks often rely on legitimate businesses to sustain their operations and infrastructure.
● Traffickers will use hotels as well as many other venues to exploit their victims.
● Traffickers use hotel and motel rooms when setting up encounters between victims of sex trafficking
and those individuals purchasing sex.
● Labor trafficking is also used in hotels
● This criminal activity presents a great risk for the safety and security of hotel businesses
● Traffickers take advantage of the lack of awareness for hotel sex trafficking
● They continue to do this successfully because the hotel staff don’t know what to look for
● Objectives of the course:
- Define human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children;
- Identify individuals who are most at risk for human trafficking;
 - Understand the difference between labor and sex trafficking specific to the hotel sector;
- Explain the role of hospitality employees in responding to this issue.

Human Trafficking and the Hospitality Industry​(Link):

● Traffickers will take advantage of the privacy in the hospitality industry

● Hotels and motels can be especially attractive locations for all forms of trafficking
● Staff are not necessarily educated on how to recognize and report signs of trafficking.
Signs for Staff to Watch Out For:
● Hotel and Motel Staff
- Individuals show signs of malnourishment, poor hygiene, fatigue, sleep deprivation, untreated
illness, injuries, and/or unusual behavior.
- Individuals lack freedom of movement or are constantly monitored.
- Individuals have no control over or possessions of money or ID
- Individuals dress inappropriately for their age or have lower quality clothing compared to others
in their party
● Housekeeping, maintenance, and room service staff
- Request room or housekeeping services but denies hotel staff entry into room
- Presence of multiple computers, cell phones, credit card swipe her’s, or other technology
- Extended stay with you or no personal possessions
- Excessive amounts of sex paraphernalia in rooms
● Concierge, bellman, Front desk, security and valet staff
- The same person reserves multiple rooms
- room is rented hourly, less then a day, or for long-term stay that does not appear normal
- Individuals sewing items to or begging from patrons or staff
- Car parking lot regularly parked backwards so the license plate is not visible
● Food and beverage Staff
- Individuals loitering and soliciting male patrons
- Individuals waiting at a table or bar and picked up by a male
- Individuals asking staff or patrons for food or money
- Individuals taking cash or receipts left on tables

Hotels Can Increase Awareness & Action to Protect Children from Sex Trafficking​(Link):
● Most people believe that sex trafficking only happens in budget hotels or hotels close to an airport but
luxury or branded hotels may also be used by abusers.
● While the hospitality industry is not responsible for the child sex trafficking, it does have an important
role to play in helping to stop it
● Hotel associates are more likely to witness human trafficking than the average person
● Training is the mechanism for making hotel associates aware of child sex trafficking
● A study of hotels in the United States found that hotels who received training reported that their
associates had an increased knowledge of child sex trafficking.
● In addition to increasing awareness of trafficking and its indicators, training also instructs hotel
associates how to respond to any suspected instances of trafficking.
Human Trafficking and the Hotel Industry​(Link):
● Polaris’s Findings
- 1,434 Cases of trafficking in hotels and motels
- 1,867 Victims and survivors identified
- Sex Trafficking 92%
 - Labor Trafficking 5%
- Sex and Labor Trafficking 2%
- Total Cases 294
● For example, traffickers may use hotels to house their victims while in transit or to sell their victim’s
forced services.
● This criminal activity presents a great risk for the safety and security of hotel businesses, as well as
legitimate hotel customers
● Options to Fix the Problem:
1. Formally Adopt A Company-Wide Anti-Trafficking Policy
2. Train Staff On What To Look For And How To Respond
3. Establish A Safe & Secure Reporting Mechanism
4. Develop A Response Plan For Your Business
5. Directly Hire Employees Whenever Possible
6. Work With Suppliers And Vendors Who Responsibly Source Their Products
7. Contact The National Human Trafficking Resource Center (1-888-373-7888) Hotline And BeFree (233733)
Texting Helpline

5 Tips to Combat Human Trafficking in Hotels

This articles discusses 5 ways hotel employees/management can improve their systems to disrupt sex
trafficking. Sex trafficking alone is a heavy pill to swallow, and it can be hard to identify sex traffickers without
solid evidence or suspicion. The first solution was to ensure every guest came to the front desk to check in.
This ensures every guest is looked at and employees can see if there are any factors that are amiss about
their check-in, ie. no ID, unable to give city they’ve come from, or continuous guests going in and out of one
room. The second tip is to train employees frequently on how to deal with these types of situations. Often the
conflict that occurs is employees are afraid to call the police on any guest, that may not be a sex trafficker,
which makes the hotel and it’s employees seem unfair or judgemental. This can be fixed through programs
specialized in handling cases of sex trafficking. The third was to create a partnership with law enforcement.
Hotel employees could contact police, either on an emergency line or not, and have them come in with no
sirens or in civilian clothes that way there isn’t too much attention drawn to said sex trafficker. The fourth was
simply to watch for warning signs that sex traffickers often give off (refer back to tip one.) The final tip was to
“take action,” it is described that it is best for employees to take action rather than to idly watch something
happen. I believe with those 5 steps being followed, sex trafficking rates would decrease in hotels.

5 Misconceptions About Human Trafficking in Hospitality

This article essentially explains what people think of sex trafficking. Most citizens are in denial that sex
trafficking happens in their city, and more believe that sex trafficking would never happen in the hotel they
usually visit. The truth is, sex trafficking is everywhere. No matter if the location is on the “fancier” side or in
the “ghetto,” sex trafficking is inevitable. It is everywhere, especially in a big city like San Diego. This article
also sheds like on how women aren’t the only people being sex trafficked. While it’s less common for men to
be trafficked, it still happens, but perhaps employees are so focused on finding women they overlook the fact
that anyone could be sex trafficked. This ties into prostitution too, there is almost no way to get out of a sex
trafficking ring. A young girl in the ring could grow into a woman, but even if she gets out of the ring, some
“buyers” might still seek out said victim.

Marriott, ECPAT-USA Partner to Counter Human Trafficking in Hotels

The infamous chain of hotels, Marriott, has formed a partnership is ECPAT-USA (which is a U.S based
non-for-profit organization made to try to diminish sexual exploitation of children) to train employees on what
to do in the event they suspect a sex trafficking victim. “​As an iconic brand, Marriott International's deep
commitment to human rights and social responsibility will generate public awareness and support for the
growing movement to end child sex trafficking." Employees will be trained in children’s rights, engage
stakeholders, and on-property training. The article ends with other hotels being partnered with The Code,
Hilton, Hyatt, and Wyndham Worldwide to name a few.

San Diego’s Sex-Trafficking Shame

This article highlights Andrea Smith’s story, who was pushed into sex trafficking by her mother. At the age of
11 her mother was addicted to smoking crack cocaine, and turned to prostitution to fulfill her need. Then her
mother turned to her daughter to one of her clients, thus forcing her daughter (Andrea’s) into prostitution as a
child. Smith recalled how sex trafficking was in every region in San Diego. She was beaten by her pimp and
only got a sliver of money that she had earned. The article then explains that sex trafficking is popular in peak
seasons like conventions and sporting events. It goes on to discuss statistical studies “​According to ​a recent
study by the University of San Diego and Point Loma Nazarene University on the relationship between
gangs and sex trafficking in San Diego​, sex trafficking grosses an estimated $810 million dollars annually
in San Diego.” This proves that since San Diego is a tourist heavy city, sex trafficking naturally was a hot
spot. Smith goes on to report that there has been a heavy decrease in sex trafficking since it has been
brought to light by media and local police. Though this is some improvement, today we are still having
heavy flows of sex trafficking.

Slow but Steady Progress Being Made Against Sex Trafficking in San Diego

This article discusses how young women get pulled into trafficking rings by older men who promise them the
world. Their research found that the trafficking often happened at lower level income neighborhoods. It also
revealed that some women go into prostitution fully aware of what they’re getting themselves into and are
okay with it. Most are too traumatized to get information to police, while others are skeptical of the police.
There are also things to look out for, dressing a certain way, behaving in a way contrary than what they used
to, and so on. There’s also been a report that finding save heavens for these victims is hard; there are too
many for all of them to have safe havens.
INFO@ecpatusa.org​ & ​ ​info@thecode.org

Hello!

My name is Bianca Jimenez and I'm currently enrolled in a class called Design Thinking. In this class, we've
picked a group to tackle problems in our town of San Diego. My group has chosen to address the topic of sex
trafficking in hotels. Upon researching articles and statistics, I found your organization. I viewed your mission
statement and many issues this organization tackles, and was pleased that such an organization exists to
help young men and women who have encountered this unfortunate experience. Part of my assignment is to
reach out to professionals or someone knowledgeable in this field, and I concluded you were a wonderful
source. I have a few questions from my team and would appreciate it if you took the time to review and
answer these inquiries:

1. How can we (the community) raise awareness for people who are being sex trafficked in hotels?

2. What kind of training is used for hotel employees to deal with these situations?

3. What happens to victims of sex trafficking after they're saved? Is it a situational-type solution?

4. Are there any misconceptions does the public make about sex trafficking?

5. Is there any statistics/facts you'd like to let us know to further our research?

I look forward to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Bianca Jimenez
Checklist Evaluation Rubric
Exemplary Evidence Good evidence Some evidence Little or no evidence
✔ x
✖ ⁄