VIDEO: AG Moody Recognizes National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody is recognizing January as National Human Trafficking Prevention Month by highlighting resources on human trafficking and how to report it. According to the International Labor Organization, forced labor and human trafficking is a $150 billion industry globally with an estimated 40.3 million victims worldwide. With Florida hosting multiple high-profile events in the coming months, human traffickers may try to take advantage of the festivities to profit off the pain of others.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “We are working hard every day to fight this form of modern-day slavery. I am honored to work with law enforcement, service providers, state agencies, task forces, trade associations and business partners to provide a safe environment for events like the 2020 Super Bowl in Miami and the 2021 Super Bowl in Tampa. Spreading awareness is a critical step; you can help us stop human trafficking by knowing the signs and how to report trafficking when you see it.”

Human trafficking knows no bounds. Trafficking claims victims of all ages, sexes, ethnicities and demographics. Signs that a person is a victim of human trafficking include:

• Seeming to be under the control of another individual;
• Responding as if coached, or letting someone else speak for them;
• Acting fearful, anxious or paranoid;
• Displaying branding-scars, burns or tattoos, or having serious dental issues; and
• Being malnourished, disoriented or confused, or showing other signs of physical abuse.

To report an occurrence of human trafficking, or a suspicion of this atrocious crime, contact local law enforcement and call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1(888) 373-7888.

The Attorney General’s Office maintains YouCanStopHT.com, a website with more information about spotting the signs of human trafficking, and how to report it.

Fighting human trafficking is a major priority for Attorney General Moody, who serves as Chair on the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking. The Council consists of 15 members from law enforcement, prosecutors, legislators and experts in the health, education and social service fields who work to build on existing state and local partnerships to combat human trafficking.

For more information about the Council, click here.

Recently, Shared Hope International gave Florida an A grade in the group’s Protected Innocence Challenge for the state’s human trafficking laws and resources for law enforcement officers.

For more information, and to hear from Attorney General Moody about the grade, click here.