In 2011, an Alaska Airlines flight attendant named Sheila Frederick noticed something troubling during a flight from Seattle to San Francisco.
A teenage girl traveling with an older man appeared frightened, avoided eye contact, and let the man answer every question directed at her.
Trusting her instincts, Frederick quietly asked the girl to go to the airplane restroom. Inside, she had left a note on the mirror asking if the girl needed help.
The girl wrote back: “I need help.”
Frederick immediately alerted the pilot, who arranged for police to meet the aircraft when it landed. Authorities intervened, preventing what was believed to be a human trafficking situation.
Today, airlines around the world train flight crews to recognize signs of trafficking — reminding passengers and crew alike that speaking up when something feels wrong can save lives.
Source: @historyphotographed
