trafficking is not prevalent in West Virginia , but that ’ s not true ,” says Jack Luikart , director of the WVFC . “ Human trafficking is often significantly underreported because it is not understood , and there is a lack of community awareness of these activities and reporting mechanisms , which is why the YOU CAN initiative is so vital .”
False and misinformation on human trafficking impacts what the public knows about it . Conn says more than 90 % of victims know their trafficker .
“ When you Google the term human trafficking , the images that come up are not how trafficking is presented in America , so communities and victims do not see or understand the context of how it looks when it is happening in their neighborhoods ,” Conn says . “ They are still looking for kidnapping and duct taping or physical imprisonment when the simple reality is human trafficking is hidden in plain sight .”
West Virginians who suspect criminal activity is happening to someone they know may submit a human trafficking tip in multiple ways . They can go online at go . wv . gov / TipsHT , email wvfusion @ wv . gov , call 1-888-373-7888 or text BE FREE ( 233733 ). Organizations interested in displaying YOU CAN materials or requesting free training from the WVFC are encouraged to email the WVFC . Victims in need of help are encouraged to call 911 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline .
“ When citizens are empowered to report the signs of trafficking and talk about the problem , our communities become part of the solution ,” says Mark Sorsaia , secretary of the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security . “ We all need to be aware and work to intervene and mitigate this terrible behavior to protect our friends , neighbors and our children .”
For the general public , the best course of action is understanding the seriousness of these crimes , what they can look like and knowing they are a threat to society so we can keep our families safe . Community outreach plays a key role in the fight against human trafficking , and the
Where to Report
To request assistance or report suspected human trafficking :
• Dial 911 for immediate threats or emergencies .
• Visit go . wv . gov / TipsHT .
• Email wvfusion @ wv . gov .
• Call The National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text BE FREE ( 233733 ) for victim support available 24 / 7 in more than 200 languages .
• Chat online at humantraffickinghotline . org / chat .
FBI , WVFC , U . S . attorneys and other agencies aim to be proactive in this battle .
“ We spend time educating children in schools and the faculty within schools on online safety , child exploitation and human trafficking . We also spend time educating parents , caregivers , relatives , child protective services , foster care , law enforcement agencies and the like on these topics ,” Baushke says . “ This battle can ’ t be fought without the partnership of our communities . It is important for our communities to become educated and learn about this threat so the crime can be stopped within the home and prior to the victimization of a child .”
The concept of using bribes and manipulation for personal gain has existed for ages . In today ’ s connected world , the opportunities for human trafficking , child exploitation and abuse to occur are widely available . For some , generational abuse of this type is the norm . Now is the time to be informed about this modern-day slavery so we can take precautions , inform others and ultimately prevent future cases from happening . •
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