Hillsborough County’s Commission on Human Trafficking, established in February 2020, is taking steps to support victims and educate people on how to identify human trafficking.
“Honestly, I do think we are making inroads,” said Heather Curry, Ph.D., Lead Projects Coordinator for the Commission. “Our one common goal is to eradicate human trafficking. Inevitably, it is to address equity in our community, to alleviate the conditions that lead to human trafficking. Once you address that desperation, a lot of this falls away. Not all of it, but a lot of it.”
One of the Commission’s goals is to establish a special survivor’s treatment court to help victims re-establish themselves in the community, including finding employment.
Additional efforts from the Commission include Heroes Against Human Trafficking, a free online awareness and prevention training for up to 200 employees at a time. Also, the County’s code enforcement is inspecting adult entertainment businesses to ensure compliance with a requirement that adult entertainment establishments post signs providing information about human trafficking to employees and patrons.
Anyone who suspects human trafficking can report it by texting CTYTIP to TIP411 or dial 211 for immediate help. Curry said 211 operators are trained so that when someone calls in, they can ask the right questions to determine if human trafficking is involved.
