Category: Florida

After rescuing seven goats from a slaughterhouse, Rob and Debbie Canton are now helping raise money and awareness for human trafficking in the Tampa Bay area after reading a blog post from Bill Gates that said “Can Goats Empower Women?”
The project began in India to help women gain an income and become less vulnerable to fraudulent job officers. Proceeds from the goat sculptures that project G.O.A.T. sells will go to organizations that help fight human trafficking both locally and globally. There are currently 56 goat sculptures that have been made in advance which are scheduled to be sold for the Super Bowl LVI.

Mental health issues like post-traumatic stress disorder are common in trafficking victims, said Joan Reid, a licensed mental health counselor and an associate professor of criminology at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.

The St. Petersburg Police Department announced the establishment of a regional human trafficking task force Wednesday, after the agency received a $741,556 federal grant and 8 On Your Side is digging deeper into this growing problem in Florida.

In Tampa, FL human trafficking is a heartbreaking and disgusting industry, and it’s one of the fastest-growing criminal organizations in the world. Even in Florida, the problem continues to grow.

But what really drove the point home was the plight of two teenage boys, one of them sexually abused for nearly a year by four men who imprisoned him inside a squalid St. Petersburg, FL. mobile home.

Cpl. Alan Wilkett of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office said he wants to see the courts hand down the same tough penalties for both sex buyers and sex traffickers.

The war against sex trafficking is going high tech and the Tampa based U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking in Tampa has picked social media as its weapon of choice when it comes to deterring sex buyers. Natalie Kehn, who works on outreach for the group, said the nonprofit combs through thousands of online sex ads and messages potential trafficking victims.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) branches in Tampa and Atlanta launched human trafficking awareness outreach campaigns in recognition of Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

“It’s like branding cattle,” said Cpl. Alan Wilkett, who leads Pasco County, Florida’s human trafficking task force. “It’s an ownership mark. Branding is when somebody — a pimp or a trafficker — will put his mark or his symbol or his sign on his victims through some sort of tattoo.”

The city’s authorities are training hotel workers, security guards, Uber drivers and truckers to spot the signs that a person might be a victim of trafficking, since these are the people most likely to cross paths with them and have a chance to alert police.

Florida ranks third in the nation for human trafficking cases. The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported 11,000 cases in 2018. That’s only those who were able to come forward.

In 2012, she announced an aggressive initiative to make Florida a zero-tolerance state for human trafficking and modern-day slavery. From there, she forged partnerships with private businesses, community organizations and the Florida Legislature to raise awareness, teach how to spot the signs of human trafficking and pass legislation to strengthen laws.

“This happens to men too,” she said. “I’m working with a man who was taken to Texas. He was held in a pen and had to sleep near the animals. He was fed about every three days. He finally made it back home to his family. Now he’s getting the help he needs.”

With Superbowl LIV less than 2 months away, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody announced today in West Palm Beach that Florida will not tolerate human trafficking and she’s asking for the public’s assistance in identifying it.

University of Miami, FL. Miller School of Medicine students hung 3,000 posters in Wynwood last weekend to raise awareness about human trafficking.

After a recent grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime to fight human trafficking, the International Rescue Committee will work with the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center on awareness and outreach, as well as offer trauma-informed services to trafficking survivors throughout Leon County, FL, and nearby rural communities.

Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Florida says its frequent prostitution stings help curtail human trafficking. But cases are complex and difficult to prove, so few arrests result in prosecutions on trafficking charges.

“Thanks to many years in the fight, nonprofits have the insight and resources needed to craft effective legislation and policies. USIAHT, for instance, offers a program called the “TraffickingFree Zone” that equips businesses, churches, counties and other communities to reduce demand and combat trafficking.” writes Sharon Bates, an abolitionist with the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking.

In Alachua County, FL, adult establishments are required to post the signs, which are written in English, Spanish and Creole, in a clearly visible spot. Violators could face a $500 fine.

This month, Florida became the first state in the nation requiring sex-trafficking education as part of every student’s curriculum. “Tragically, human trafficking is an epidemic in our country,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said upon passage of the new rule. “Children of all ages need to know and understand the hazards of human trafficking and how to protect themselves from dangerous predators.”

Pace Center for Girls has a specific focus on preventing sex trafficking. Pace Center for Girls works towards long-term solutions by building resiliency through gender-responsive services and support (including physical health, mental health, legal, and education); social emotional learning; and developing coping skills in a safe and trusted environment.

Florida will be the first state to require schools to teach K-12 students about child trafficking prevention after the state’s Board of Education unanimously approved the rule on Monday. No other state to date has required that schools provide a human trafficking prevention education. Geoff Rogers, CEO and co-founder of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking, commended Florida for its leadership. “We hope more states will follow their lead as we seek to put an end to this terrible crime in the United States,” Rogers said.

lorida students in grades K-12 would be taught about child-trafficking prevention, under a rule proposed by state education officials. The intent of the rule is to have “every school in Florida be a ‘child trafficking free zone,’ ” according to the proposed regulation published by the Florida Department of Education Tuesday.

Ms. Toni Azinger will now represent the Senate on the statewide council on Human Trafficking Direct Support Organization Board of Directors.

With this new digital age, parents have a lot more to worry about when it comes to their kids’ online presence. With several reports of online predators and human trafficking, authorities are reminding parents to watch out for potentially dangerous apps that their kids may be exposed to.

Two bikers from Tampa, FL. are driving over 2,000 miles to let Sturgis know that human trafficking is no longer acceptable and bikers have a responsibility to solve this problem. Over 500,000 bikers plan on attending Sturgis this year, which means the voice of Rainey and Doc can be multiplied across America and spread to the millions.

According to law enforcement, Central Florida is a hotbed for this kind of modern-day slavery. And to make matters worse, victims are getting younger and younger, with pimps now recruiting elementary school-age children. But human trafficking survivor Savannah Parvu, who was 11 years old when she was sold for sex, knows a much darker side.

Most sex traffickers aren’t millionaires who abuse girls in their mansions in Manhattan and Palm Beach. Sex trafficking usually happens right under our noses, and traffickers are often those we least suspect.

Sanford, Florida- Tina Kadolph dreamed up Palate as a café with a mission. All the baristas are volunteers, and all profits — even tips — go to fight human trafficking and help survivors.

Palm Beach County, FL- Roger DeHart is lacing up his sneakers once again, embarking on another long-distance walk to raise awareness of human trafficking. This walk will be around 650 miles and will take about a month and a half to complete.

The signing of HB-851 by Gov. DeSantis of Florida comes on the heels of 85 people arrested in “Operation Trade Secrets” — a months-long human trafficking sting in the Tampa area. The new law includes the creation of a database of people convicted of soliciting prostitution, and placing new requirements on the operation of massage parlors, strip clubs and hotels.

Frontline tells the unimaginable stories of young women coerced into prostitution – and follows one police unit that’s committed to rooting it out. They showed how a sixteen year old girl from Phoenix, AR. was lured into being a victim of sex trafficking.