Center opens for victims of human trafficking in Palm Beach County

Palm Beach County ranks third in the state for situations involving human trafficking, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office.

A new center opened Wednesday in West Palm Beach to help victims

It's called the FLITE Center — or Fort Lauderdale Independence, Training & Education Center.

“This is so exciting- this has just been a journey that we knew was coming, its been a long time coming,” said Christine Frederick, president/CEO of the FLITE Center.

With the overall goal of helping human trafficking victims, the FLITE Center in West Palm will provide survivors with a team of professionals, including survivor mentors, victims service coordinators, clinicians and regional advocates.

“It will help them get employment, it will help them provide for their families, get them education sometimes these people aren't afforded an education because they are being trafficked,” said Dr. Heidi Schaeffer, a human trafficking awareness and intervention expert.

Human trafficking is a growing problem in the state, with Florida ranking 3rd in the country for calls of suspected cases to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline. According to state records, Palm Beach County alone had 77 cases involving children out of Florida's more than 2000 cases last year.

The FLITE Center in West Palm is now here to help those victims heal.

“They are in a world of darkness, and if we can bring in a little bit of light, then FLITE Center is going to be the Mecca, the wonderful organization they have been searching for their whole life,” Schaeffer said.

Along with helping victims, the FLITE Center will also have access to employment and health and wellness workshops.

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