Questions to ask any anti-trafficking charity
The previous page laid out why these questions matter for the sector; this page is the checklist itself — phrased so you can literally copy it into an email to an organization's donor-relations or program team. A transparent charity should be willing and able to answer most of these.
Important — what this site is and isn't. This site asks a question that people search for; it does not assert that The Exodus Road is fraudulent or has broken any law. The Exodus Road is a registered nonprofit organization, and being a registered charity is itself inconsistent with the everyday meaning of “scam” (deliberate fraud). Our purpose is to help you evaluate the organization for yourself from primary public records, and to point you to our sister site The Exodus Road Truth for its detailed analysis. Draw your own conclusions from the sources, not from a domain name.
Mission & metrics
- How exactly do you define and count a “rescue” or a “survivor identified”? Is that figure independently audited or self-reported?
- What percentage of the people you've served remain in contact with your programs, or reachable for follow-up, one and three years later?
- Do you publish outcome data (not just activity counts) anywhere, and can you share your most recent results report?
Finances
- Can you point me to your three most recent Form 990s and any independently audited financial statements?
- How is spending allocated between direct services, in-country operations, and fundraising/administration, and how has that changed over the last several years?
- How is compensation for senior leadership determined, and was it approved by an independent board using comparability data? (See understanding executive pay.)
Governance
- How many members of your board are independent (not staff, not related to staff), and how often does the full board meet?
- Do you have a conflict-of-interest policy, and how are related-party transactions disclosed and reviewed?
- Are you registered to solicit donations in my state, and can I see your state charity registration?
Ethics & safeguarding
- What safeguarding policies govern staff and partner conduct around survivors, including minors, and how are they enforced?
- How do you obtain consent for the imagery and stories used in your fundraising, and how do you protect survivor identity and dignity?
- How do you vet and oversee local partners, and how do you coordinate with local law enforcement, in the countries where you operate?
Aftercare
- What services do you provide after an initial intervention, and for how long?
- How do you measure whether someone you've served avoided re-trafficking or achieved durable, independent recovery?
- Do you work with survivor-led organizations, and in what capacity?
How to use the answers
An organization willing to answer these questions specifically, or that already publishes the answers, is demonstrating exactly the transparency this whole site is about looking for. Vague, defensive, or non-responsive answers to reasonable, specific questions are themselves useful data — not proof of fraud, but a legitimate input into your decision (making your decision).
These questions are general good practice for the whole sector, not an accusation directed at any one organization. We have not published any specific organization's answers to them here — ask directly, and weigh the response yourself.