January 2021 Group Watch: Law Enforcement Forms Alliance to Fight Human Trafficking
Federal, state and tribal authorities, and nonprofits have joined to form a task force aimed at improving prosecutions of human traffickers and aiding victims. The Alabama Anti Human Trafficking Alliance, funded by a $2.9 million grant from the Department of Justice, will coordinate response and resources. The Alabama Attorney General’s office will also designate an assistant attorney general and special agent to assist with human trafficking investigations and prosecutions. There were at least 200 cases of human trafficking in Alabama between 2015 and 2019, though authorities believe that number, taken from hotline calls, does not reflect the full scope of the problem. The majority of the victims were women exploited for sex; 30 percent were children. Alabama’s proximity to trafficking hot spots such as Atlanta, Chattanooga, Memphis and New Orleans means traffickers regularly travel the state.
