Talk:Our Rescue

Operations

Mysecretgarden I have another suggestion, if you have any interest in reviewing it.

  • I noticed that "Operations" as a section name in other articles typically refers to a company's operations. So I wanted to suggest clarifying that the section here is "Field operations" and change the section name.
  • Additionally, I would like to suggest changing the subsection name "Aftercare" to "Survivor care" since that is more accurate and more clear for readers.
  • And then throughout the section, I have some additions to propose, which can be seen below.
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''Operations ''' As of 2021, Our Rescue had offices in [[Cedar City, Utah]], and [[Anaheim, California]]. ''' International operations ''' In 2014, Our Rescue participated in a sting operation in Cartagena, Colombia. In April 2022, Our Rescue members attended an anti-trafficking summit in [[Cartagena, Colombia]]. In 2022, Our Rescue also provided investigative and undercover support in the arrests of pro-pedophilia activists Nelson Maatman, who fled to Mexico, and [[Marthijn Uittenbogaard]] and his partner, who both fled to Ecuador. ''' Law enforcement support ''' Between 2015 and 2018, Our Rescue donated more than $170,000 to Washington State Patrol's "Net Nanny" sting program. The money was used for "additional detectives, hotels, food and overtime". Sergeant Carlos Rodriguez, the initiator of the sting program arranged positive media coverage for Our Rescue, solicited donations for them, and, upon his retirement in 2019, was employed by Our Rescue as their domestic coordinator. '''Aftercare''' Our Rescue says it runs a non-profit aftercare program, providing medical and psychological services, education, and vocational opportunities to survivors. In January 2022, Our Rescue stated that in 2021 it provided aftercare in 30 countries. In February 2020, Our Rescue paid for an adopted Wisconsin woman to visit her biological parents after she discovered that she had been stolen from them as a baby and trafficked through orphanage fraud. After using the DNA test to trace her heritage back to India and Israel, the woman found her [[Minority group|ethnic minority]] [[Romani people|Roma]] family that lived in Romania and had since moved to Italy. According to ''Foreign Policy'', in 2014, "after OUR's first operation in the Dominican Republic, a local organization called the National Council for Children and Adolescents (CONANI when abbreviated in Spanish) quickly discovered it didn't have the capacity to handle the 26 girls rescued. They were released in less than a week." ''' ESD K-9 ''' In 2022, Our Rescue bought over 50 dogs trained to detect electronic storage devices (ESD/[[SD card|SD Cards]], including cell phones, hard drives, and hidden cameras) from Jordan Detection K9 and donated them to police departments in several U.S. states and Thailand. ESD K9s are also trained to provide comfort to victims. Our Rescue assesses the needs of the area to select which agencies it will donate the dogs. Dogs donated by Our Rescue have been connected to the arrests of individuals for child pornography.
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'''Field operations''' Our Rescue works against human trafficking by supporting law enforcement's identification of sexual predators, its survivor programs and its education and prevention initiatives. The organization originally focused its efforts internationally, but following the new leadership it shifted its focus domestically. Our Rescue offers a guide called "Let’s Start Talking" on how parents can talk to children about online safety. They also goes to schools with law enforcement to discuss online safety. ''' International operations ''' In 2014, Our Rescue participated in a sting operation in [[Cartagena, Colombia]]. In April 2022, Our Rescue members attended an anti-trafficking summit in Cartagena, Colombia. In 2022, Our Rescue also provided investigative and undercover support in the arrests of pro-pedophilia activists Nelson Maatman, who fled to Mexico, and [[Marthijn Uittenbogaard]] and his partner, who both fled to Ecuador. Our Rescue has had operations in the [[Galapagos]], [[Thailand]], [[Ecuador]], and [[Argentina]]. ''' Law enforcement support ''' Between 2015 and 2018, Our Rescue donated more than $170,000 to Washington State Patrol's "Net Nanny" sting program. The money was used for "additional detectives, hotels, food and overtime." Sergeant Carlos Rodriguez, the initiator of the sting program, arranged positive media coverage for Our Rescue, solicited donations for them, and upon his retirement in 2019, was employed by Our Rescue as their domestic coordinator. '''Survivor care''' Our Rescue runs a non-profit survivor care program, providing medical and psychological services, education, and vocational opportunities to survivors. In January 2022, Our Rescue stated that in 2021 it provided survivor care in 30 countries. In February 2020, Our Rescue paid for an adopted Wisconsin woman to visit her biological parents after she discovered that she had been stolen from them as a baby and trafficked through orphanage fraud. After using a DNA test to trace her heritage back to India and Israel, the woman found her [[Minority group|ethnic minority]] [[Romani people|Roma]] family that lived in Romania and had since moved to Italy. '''ESD K-9''' Our Rescue trains dogs to detect electronic storage devices and donates them to police departments in several U.S. states and Thailand. Our Rescue assesses the needs of the area to select which agencies it will donate the dogs. These dogs are trained to smell [[SD cards]] in devices including cell phones, hard drives, and hidden cameras. Some are also trained to provide comfort to victims. Dogs donated by Our Rescue have been connected to the arrests of individuals for child pornography.


I included a box at the bottom to show what the final section would look like, with references.

Finally, it seems to me that the "Publicity and celebrity endorsements" section is promotional and should also be removed. Let me know if there are any questions! Thanks, AChalin (talk) 18:29, 29 August 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Partly done: I couldn't see a mention of the equador operations in the source. Publicity section appears to have already been removed. Thanks, Encoded  Talk 💬 12:02, 4 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]
Thank you for the updates and for making other updates.
If you are looking for a source of work Our Rescue has done in Ecuador since 2025, here is from a reputable
publication.
https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/rescatan-a-nueve-extranjeras-v%C3%ADctimas-de-trata-de-personas-en-ecuador/89480609
Let me know if you want an older reference.
Thanks again! AChalin (talk) 17:26, 11 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Updates to Chronological history

I am requesting assistance updating the “History” section to improve chronological accuracy and include additional neutral, reliably sourced information.

Requested Edits

1. Move Tammy Lee’s CEO information to the 2024–present section

(This sentence is currently placed under the 2023 subsection - but should appear at the beginning of the 2024–present subsection)

> “On February 26, 2024, Tammy Lee, a corporate executive with experience at Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, and the University of Minnesota Foundation, took over as the new CEO.[29][30] Lee also served on the White House Interagency Task Force to Combat Trafficking in Persons.[30]”

2. Maintain the org name change & headquarters relocation immediately after Tammy Lee’s entry

Suggested placement for clarity:

> “In 2024, the organization changed its name from Operation Underground Railroad to OUR Rescue and moved its headquarters to Minneapolis, Minnesota.[2][6]”

Proposed updated text for the 2024–present subsection

> 2024–present** > On February 26, 2024, Tammy Lee, a corporate executive with experience at Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, and the University of Minnesota Foundation, took over as the new CEO.[29][30] Lee also served on the White House Interagency Task Force to Combat Trafficking in Persons.[30]

In 2024, the organization changed its name from Operation Underground Railroad to OUR Rescue and moved its headquarters to Minneapolis, Minnesota.[2][6]

Please let me know if you have any questions and thank you for reviewing this edit request. 

AChalin (talk) 15:44, 11 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Proposed revisions align with Wikipedia's Manual of Style for lead sections

Greetings,

I am kindly requesting assistance with some updates to the lead section of the article to ensure it follows Wikipedia’s Manual of Style for lead sections, which states that the introduction should: identify the topic clearly and concisely, summarize key facts, establish context, and avoid excessive detail or tangents.

The current lead includes substantial detail and narrative elements better suited for the body of the article. I am proposing a more concise summary that reflects the content already covered later in the article.

The following proposed lead offers a more concise summary while fully preserving all major facts, controversies, and organizational history already present in the article.

Proposed Revised Lead Section

  • Our Rescue**, previously known as **Operation Underground Railroad** (abbreviated **O.U.R.**, previously styled as “OUR Rescue”[2]), is a United States–based non-governmental 501(c)(3) organization that works to combat human trafficking and child sexual exploitation through field operations, survivor support, and training and prevention programs.[1]

The group has conducted anti–trafficking operations, both inside and outside the United States, and has provided technological and financial assistance to law-enforcement agencies working to investigate sex trafficking crimes.[3][4]

The organization was founded in 2013 by Tim Ballard.[3] Its early work was later dramatized in the 2023 film Sound of Freedom, which was inspired by Ballard’s efforts at the formation of Operation Underground Railroad.

In 2023, Ballard resigned as CEO following an internal investigation after multiple former employees accused him of “sexual harassment, spiritual manipulation, grooming, and sexual misconduct.” Later, the organization was named in two separate lawsuits, in which the plaintiffs accused Tim Ballard of sexual assault, grooming, and coercion during sting operations.

As of 2025, Our Rescue is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota,[6] maintains an office in Murray, Utah, and is led by CEO Derek Benner, the former Executive Associate Director of Homeland Security Investigations.[7]

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Rationale

• This proposed lead follows WP:LEAD by summarizing — not repeating — detailed material already covered in the body of the article.

• The citation used for the organizational description mirrors the structure used in the lead for *The Exodus Road*, which cites the organization’s “about” page as a general descriptor of mission and non-ideological purpose. I am requesting a similar treatment here for consistency with established examples on comparable nonprofit pages.

• It includes a neutral, contextual mention linking the organization’s origins to the film *Sound of Freedom* using a standard internal wikilink.

• All controversies remain represented but are reduced to appropriate summary form.

• Mission and organizational description are clarified using a non-promotional, factual overview consistent with leads of comparable nonprofit organizations.

• The former line from the lead section "As Operation Underground Railroad during Ballard's tenure, the organization was criticized for its conduct during sting operations was accused of exaggerating claims regarding its work." should be moved into "Criticism of Operations"

Thank you for reviewing this request and for your consideration. Please let me know if there is anything further I should provide. AChalin (talk) 19:38, 11 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Update to Board Members at Our Rescue

Hello, I am requesting a factual correction to the “Board members” section of the article.

Request Please remove **Matthew Millhollin** from the list of current board members. He is no longer serving on the organization’s board. If you go to archive.org, you can see he was there but is no longer listed on organization's website as a board member. https://ourrescue.org/about/our-team

Rationale This is a straightforward accuracy update. Millhollin is not listed as a current board member in the organization’s published materials, and the article should reflect the present board composition. This request concerns only the removal of an outdated name; no additional content is being added.

Thank you for reviewing this correction!

Sincerely, Anna AChalin (talk) 20:08, 11 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Appeal to remove former CEO Financial Information

Hello, I am submitting an appeal requesting the removal of the sentence regarding Tim Ballard’s personal financial information.

  1. Request: Please remove the line detailing **Tim Ballard’s individual financial information** from the *Our Rescue* article.
  1. Rationale:

1. **This is not information about the organization (WP:CONTENTFORK, WP:WEIGHT)** 

  The financial information pertains to **Tim Ballard personally**
  Wikipedia discourages placing biographical information about an individual inside an organization’s article when it is better suited to that person’s own biography page.

2. **Undue focus on one individual in an organizational article (WP:UNDUE)** 

  The line singles out one former executive and presents personal financial data unrelated to the organization’s overall structure, finances, or operations.  
  This gives disproportionate weight to an aspect of Ballard’s biography that is not central to understanding the organization itself.

3. **Belongs on Tim Ballard’s own page (WP:BLP, WP:BLPONEVENT)** 

  Since the information is biographical and pertains to Ballard personally, any financial details—if appropriately sourced and relevant—belong on **Tim Ballard’s** page, not in the nonprofit’s article.

4. **Outdated information (from 2021) — not relevant to the current organization** 

  The information is taken from **2021** and is no longer reflective of the organization’s present leadership or structure.  
  Wikipedia’s guidelines (WP:LEAD, WP:RECENTISM) recommend avoiding outdated or no-longer-salient details that do not contribute meaningfully to the reader’s understanding of the organization today.

5. **Does not improve the encyclopedic quality of the article** 

  Organizational pages should focus on mission, operations, history, controversies, governance, and structure.  
  The personal finances of a former executive do not fall under these categories and do not advance the article’s clarity or neutrality.

Summary: For these reasons, I kindly request that the sentence concerning Tim Ballard’s personal financial information be removed from the *Our Rescue* article. It is outdated, improperly placed, not organizationally relevant, and better suited to his individual biography, should editors deem it appropriate there.

Thank you for reviewing this request. Sincerely, Anna AChalin (talk) 20:27, 11 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Proposed removal of inflammatory and miscontextualized quote

Hello, I am respectfully and kindly requesting the removal of the following paragraph from the History section:

> “A September 2020 Vice News article described Operation Underground Railroad as ‘QAnon-adjacent’ and embracing followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory, which other trafficking charities had distanced themselves from.[19] Ballard told The New York Times, ‘Some of these theories have allowed people to open their eyes. So now it's our job to flood the space with real information so the facts can be shared.’[20][21][19]”

Request: Please remove the above paragraph in its entirety.

Rationale (Policy-Based):

  • 1. Violates WP:BLP (Biographies of Living Persons) due to contentious labeling**

The phrase “QAnon-adjacent” is a **contentious characterization** of a living person (Ballard) and a living organization. WP:BLP requires that *contentious material must be phrased with extreme care, neutrally, and only when strictly necessary to understanding the subject.*

This label is: speculative, interpretive, not essential to describing the organization, and stated in Wikipedia’s voice rather than purely as attributed reporting.

Under BLP, the safest action is **removal**.

  • 2. Violates WP:UNDUE — disproportionate weight to a marginal framing**

The “QAnon-adjacent” framing reflects the interpretation of **one outlet (Vice)**, not a broad consensus across reliable sources. Wikipedia should not center a marginal or highly interpretive viewpoint in an organization’s historical summary. Under WP:UNDUE, minority or fringe interpretations should not receive elevated prominence.

  • 3. Not necessary for understanding the organization (WP:DUE, WP:NPOV)**

This paragraph does not: describe the mission, describe the operations, explain structure or funding, summarize notable events central to the organization’s development.

It introduces an interpretive media characterization that does not materially help readers understand the organization itself. Per WP:LEAD and WP:NPOV, content should summarize *significant, lasting aspects* of the subject — not one outlet’s descriptive framing.

  • 4. The paragraph conflates an external journalist’s interpretation with the organization’s own positions**

The organization has clearly stated publicly that it is not affiliated with conspiracy theories:

> “Our Rescue does not condone conspiracy theories and is not affiliated with conspiracy groups in any way…”

This paragraph presents a journalistic interpretation without context or balance, resulting in an unintentional violation of WP:NPOV and WP:BLPSTYLE.

  • 5. Ballard’s quote is miscontextualized (WP:SYNTH, WP:BLP)**

The paragraph pairs: Vice’s interpretation with an unrelated New York Times quote in a way that **implies agreement or endorsement**, which is original synthesis — not supported directly by sources. WP:SYNTH prohibits combining statements to imply conclusions the sources themselves did not make.

Conclusion Because this paragraph contains contentious statements about a living person and organization (BLP), gives undue weight to a single outlet’s interpretive label (UNDUE), presents synthesis (SYNTH), and is not essential to the understanding of the organization,

I request that the two sentences and sources be removed in full from this page. Thank you for reviewing this request.

Sincerely, Anna AChalin (talk) 20:54, 11 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

Addition of Current CEO background Information

I am requesting the addition of a short sentence describing Our Rescue's CEO Derek Benner’s professional background following the existing sentence noting his appointment as CEO.

Proposed addition: > “Benner previously led Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and helped develop the Department of Homeland Security’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking.”

Placement: The sentence would follow: > “Derek Benner was appointed as CEO in 2025.[7]”

Citation to include [2]

Thank you for reviewing this request. AChalin (talk) 19:23, 19 December 2025 (UTC)[reply]

  1. ^ "About Us". Our Rescue. Retrieved {{subst:CURRENTDAY}} {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  2. ^ "Remarks by Acting Secretary Chad Wolf Announcing the New Center for Countering Human Trafficking". Department of Homeland Security. 20 October 2020. Retrieved {{subst:19}} {{subst:December}} {{subst:2025}}. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Operation_Underground_Railroad