Introduction

Attorney General Bondi worked with Florida’s legislative leaders to create the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking.

The 15-member Council chaired by Attorney General Bondi, will build on existing state and local partnerships working to combat human trafficking.

Members include law enforcement officers, prosecutors, legislators, as well as experts in the fields of health, education and social services. The Council was created through legislation passed and signed into law in 2014.

About Human Trafficking

The International Labor Organization estimates that there are 20.9 million victims of trafficking around the world. Domestically, Florida continues to rank third in the nation in the number of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.

Victims of human trafficking include children, women and men who are subjected to sexual exploitation or forced labor through force, fraud or coercion.

According to a study of U.S. Department of Justice human trafficking task force cases, 83 percent of sex trafficking victims identified in the United States were U.S. citizens. The average age that a trafficked victim is first used for commercial sex is 12-14.

Attorney General Bondi is committed to an all-hands-on-deck approach to eradicating human trafficking.

Council Duties

The Statewide Council on Human Trafficking was created to support human trafficking victims by enhancing care options available.

Council duties include:

• Develop recommendations for comprehensive programs and services including recommendations for certification of safe houses & safe foster homes.
• Make recommendations for apprehending and prosecuting traffickers and enhancing coordination of responses.
• Hold an annual statewide policy summit with an institution of higher learning.
• Work with the Department of Children and Families to create and maintain an inventory of human trafficking programs and services in our state.
• Develop overall policy recommendations.

Council Members

1. The Honorable Pam Bondi, Attorney General, Chair
2. Mike Carroll, Secretary, Department of Children and Families, Vice Chair
3. The Honorable Kathleen Passidomo, Florida Senate
4. The Honorable Jeanette Nuņez, Florida House of Representatives
5. The Honorable Dave Aronberg, State Attorney 15th Judicial Circuit, Palm Beach County
6. The Honorable William D. Snyder, Sheriff, Martin County
7. Dr. Celeste Philip, State Surgeon General, Department of Health
8. Justin Senior, Secretary, Agency for Health Care Administration
9. Pam Stewart, Commissioner, Department of Education
10. Richard L. Swearingen, Executive Director, Florida Department of Law Enforcement
11. Christina Daly, Secretary, Department of Juvenile Justice
12. Melanie Bevan, Chief, Bradenton Police Department
13. Terry Coonan, FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights
14. Dotti Groover-Skipper, The Salvation Army & The FREE Network
15. Lee Lowry, The Junior Leagues of Florida

Meetings