HOUSTON – NRG Stadium — best known for football games and concerts — on Wednesday became the first sports and entertainment venue designated a “No Trafficking Zone” after a Houston woman who says she was trafficked there returned to share her experience and help launch the safety initiative.
Courtney Litvak, now a survivor advocate with the nonprofit No Trafficking Zone, told attendees that sex trafficking does not always look like a violent abduction. She described being groomed in high school and later being moved among trafficking networks that brought her to cities across the country, including Houston.
“More common than not, it’s not a physical kidnapping… it’s a kidnapping of your mind,” Litvak said, adding that traffickers often present themselves as protectors before building control around a victim’s vulnerabilities.
Officials said the stadium will display signage, offer resources for people who need help and encourage staff and patrons to report suspicious activity.
Jacquelyn Alutto, chief executive officer of No Trafficking Zone, said the organization works with law enforcement through an undercover human trafficking response team that pairs detectives with survivors.
“We have a human trafficking response team with the Sheriff’s Office where we work undercover with detectives and survivors,” Alutto said.
Litvak acknowledged that returning to NRG Stadium was difficult but said speaking there is important to show what trafficking can look like and to educate the public.
Stadium and nonprofit leaders urged Houston residents and visitors to be alert to signs of exploitation and to use available resources.
State law now makes child sex trafficking a felony punishable by 25 to 99 years in prison, officials noted, and organizers said the new designation sends a clear message: no trafficking here — or anywhere.