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A group of Midlanders gathered outside the Midland Park Mall to raise their voice for the voiceless and start a conversation about human trafficking.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported that Texas saw the second-highest number of trafficking reported in the nation in 2019, second only to California at 1,080 cases according to KWES.
Human trafficking looks different than the image in most people's minds.
"They’ll go to school all day then will be gone until 7, 9 at night, and they’ll be taken to a motel, usually seedy, where they are sex trafficked," Amy Wilson, social media coordinator of Midland Moms Blog, said. "And then they’re back home at night so they’re never missing. It’s not the way that we picture though."
It takes time for police and local government officials to build cases against traffickers, but they are working toward that end. Wilson said she wants to raise awareness of the issue so that something can be done about it.
Aftercare is essential for rescued trafficking victims but there aren't as many aftercare beds as there are people being rescued. There are several ways to help.
To report a case of trafficking, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text "HELP" to 233733. More resources can be found online.
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