Freedom is a fundamental human right. It is a cornerstone of what makes us human. Yet, across the world and in our own communities, this right has been stripped from far too many as they are forced, tricked, and coerced into situations over which they have no control. They are robbed of those same rights that we value most. Since its beginning in 2007, the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking has identified human trafficking as a prevalent, yet often unrecognized, issue in Northeast Ohio. It was in response to the need for awareness and advocacy that the organization has brought together local professionals and members of religious female communities to create a community-wide call to action, seeking a systemic, multi-disciplinary response to human trafficking in this region. Today, this ever-growing collaboration includes diverse communities, businesses, non-profits, and governmental organizations. In partnership with them, the Collaborative equips the community with the knowledge, tools, and resources needed to address human trafficking. We provide leadership and expertise that empowers the community, making it easier to identify and support those impacted by the crime and to eradicate those factors that enable the crime.From the Collaborative's broad public-awareness campaign, Human Trafficking Happens Here Too, to the development of suggested best practices across healthcare, public safety, hospitality and other sectors, the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking exists to uphold every person's fundamental right to freedom and dignity.