With January being Human Trafficking Prevention Month, state Attorney General Ashley Moody is highlighting initiatives and tools for Floridians to learn about the signs and dangers of human trafficking.
According to the U.S. Department of State, there are an estimated 24.9 million victims of human trafficking worldwide at any given time. Moody called on more Floridians to join in the fight against this crime by learning how to spot and report suspicious activity.
“Ending human trafficking in Florida is a top priority and while we made great strides toward this goal during my first term as Attorney General, we cannot relent in our efforts to prosecute traffickers and help victims. One way you can join our efforts is by learning how to spot and report suspicious activity. Visit YouCanStopHT.com to learn what to look for and join our efforts to end this atrocious crime in Florida,” Moody said this week.
Moody’s Office of Statewide Prosecution prosecutes multijudicial circuit cases of human trafficking in Florida. Since Moody took office in 2019, OSP has secured sentences for 95 defendants in human trafficking cases.
Serving as the chair of the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, Moody leads a 15-member council that consists of law enforcement, prosecutors, legislators and experts in the health, education and social service fields. The Council works to build on existing state and local partnerships to combat human trafficking.
Moody actively engages in building partnerships and creates initiatives to help train individuals on the signs of trafficking and how to report it.
Some of Moody’s partnerships to combat human trafficking include:
Working with Truckers Against Trafficking, the Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Public Transportation Association, American Gaming Association and Busing on the Lookout to train employees in the gaming and passenger transportation industries;
Teaming with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to launch the Highway Heroes campaign. Highway Heroes has recruited more than 6,400 truckers to identify potential victims and report suspected human trafficking across Florida’s 12,000 miles of roadways; and
The creation of the 100 Percent Club to recognize companies and organizations that take proactive steps and pledge to train their employees on the signs of human trafficking and how to report it safely and effectively.
The Florida Attorney General’s Office also holds the annual Human Trafficking Summit every fall. The summit brings together local, state and national leaders to discuss efforts to eradicate all forms of trafficking, along with 16 hours of educational content.
Children can also be at risk of human trafficking through online predators. Moody created an Online Safety Toolkit to empower parents to teach their children about the dangers of human trafficking online and create effective online safety plans.
For Floridians wanting to learn more about how to spot and report human trafficking, visit YouCanStopHT.com.
To report an occurrence or suspicion of human trafficking, contact local law enforcement and the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1(888) 373-7888.
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