January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
The Powell Police Department is introducing the Powell Police Perspective, monthly articles focused on topics that are important for our community to understand. Next month we’ll discuss Teen Dating Violence.
Human Trafficking is modern day slavery which involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Eighty percent of all reported Human Trafficking is for sex exploitation and the majority of those are young females.
Pimps generally target naïve females, often runaways, seeking male attention. But young males are not exempt. The one thing all human trafficking victims have in common is they were vulnerable at the time they met the pimp. Social media sites are used to communicate with potential victims as are shopping malls, fast food restaurants, Court, schools, youth centers, etc. Be aware of your child’s presence on social media.
The Powell Police Department is committed to protecting the citizens of this community from falling victim to Human Trafficking. Currently, the Powell Police Department has an assigned detective that works part time for the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force.
Learn more about how you can help human trafficking victims by getting involved in the Delaware County Against Human Trafficking Coalition.
If you know of someone that may be a victim of Human Trafficking, report it to the Human Trafficking Center Hotline or the Powell Police Department.
Human Trafficking Hotline – 1-888-373-7888
Powell Police Department – 1-614-885-3374
Source: Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force