The average American is for the
most part unaware of just how large a
problem human trafficking is in the country, experts said at the fifth Texas
Human Trafficking summit. Community leaders, law enforcement and social service
providers meet at this annual summit in order to raise awareness about fighting
human trafficking in North Texas. ““Often people think it’s an international
issue, but primarily it’s a much bigger issue here in America,” said Jaime
Meyers, managing director of Children at Risk.” Law enforcement have turned to
the internet – considered a hotbed of traffickers – in order to catch repeat
offenders, like backpage.com The website allows for prostitutes to advertise
themselves, many of whom are underage. “Undercover Dallas police officers pose
as buyers online to target trafficking sales online. The program, called
“Operation Brick and Mortar,” rescued six children from June of last year to
August, said Lt. Alfred Diorio of the Dallas Police Department’s High Risk
Victims and Trafficking Unit.The unit has made 118 arrests in the past year,
many of which resulted in “significant sentencing” for the perpetrator, Diorio
said.” Along with these efforts, the Letot Girls’ Residential Treatment Center
will open next year to provide shelter for girls who may become victimized by
traffickers. It is hoped that this will be one of the tools to combat human
trafficking, said R. Keith Atwood of the Dallas County Juvenile Department.
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