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Human trafficking is a major problem in New Jersey (L.A. PARKER COLUMN)

Trenton, we have a and slave problem.

In the Summer of 2022, rumors spread through Trenton that young Latina women were being snatched off local streets and pressed into the city's sex trade business. Lured into houses and expecting a “party”, some girls ended up as the party.

While those stories persisted, New Jersey State Police arrested eight suspects for allegedly operating a human trafficking network in Central New Jersey. During a four-month investigation, detectives discovered that the suspects smuggled female victims into the country and forced them into prostitution.

In Trenton, an investigation months earlier focused on a house on Hudson St. where State Police eventually freed one juvenile female from prostitution. In May, State Police detectives joined by Trenton and Asbury Park police, along with and Customs Enforcement officials, served search warrants at several residences in Trenton, leading investigators to find nine more female victims enslaved by the ring, according to the state police.

These crimes and others throughout New Jersey initiated a call to action as Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin last week announced a new unit within the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) that will focus exclusively on investigating and prosecuting these types of human trafficking crimes in New Jersey.

The newly established Human Trafficking Unit will spearhead New Jersey's fight against human trafficking through aggressive pursuit of criminal networks that trade in people and exploit them for profit.

“Human Trafficking is a despicable crime that exploits the most vulnerable members of society, subjecting them to unspeakable emotional, physical, and psychological trauma. Today we are sending a message to those engaged in these heinous acts: your days are numbered,” said Attorney General Platkin.

“Our newly created Human Trafficking Unit has but one mandate, to identify and dismantle human trafficking networks operating in New Jersey and bring justice for those they've harmed.”

Attorney General Platkin announced the new unit during his remarks at DCJ's 13th annual Human Trafficking Event at the Trenton War Memorial today. The day-long event, held each year during January's National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, brings together members of , community partners, advocacy groups, and survivors of human trafficking to educate and raise awareness of this global health issue and collaborate on ways to end it.

“Victims of human trafficking are subjected to the most reprehensible physical and emotional abuse that results in psychological scars that last a lifetime,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.

“The creation of the Human Trafficking Unit allows us to partner with the Division of Criminal Justice and shows our dedication to utilize every resource at our disposal to bring these criminals to justice. We remain committed to working with our partners to aggressively target these offenders, but we remind everyone to remain vigilant and report these heinous crimes to law enforcement.”

DCJ Director Pearl Minato said the creation of the Human Trafficking Unit is a game changer.

“I want to thank Attorney General Platkin for prioritizing our mission to end modern day slavery in New Jersey by providing DCJ with the needed to tackle the problem of human trafficking head on,” said Director Minato. “This team of seasoned litigators and investigators, under the leadership of Deputy Director Theresa Hilton, will be capable of pursuing complex trafficking networks across jurisdictional boundaries and bring charges that result in significant prison sentences.”

Deputy Director Theresa Hilton, a veteran litigator with extensive experience prosecuting sex assault crimes, was brought on by the Attorney General in September to oversee sexual and domestic violence prevention policy and criminal enforcement work – a role General Platkin created within the Division of Criminal Justice.

“I am honored and humbled for the opportunity to lead the Human Trafficking Unit in spearheading statewide efforts to identify criminal trafficking rings, hold perpetrators accountable, and empower survivors with tools for ,” said Deputy Director Hilton.

“I look forward to working with all levels of law enforcement, government and community stakeholders, and trafficking survivors to bring an end to the scourge of human trafficking in our state.”

Every year, millions of men, women, and children in the world, including in the U.S., are bought and sold for the purposes of forced labor or sexual exploitation. Human Trafficking is a crime whose victims are often hidden in plain sight and signs of human trafficking often go unnoticed because the relationship between trafficker and victim masquerades as consensual romantic or familial relationships or as legitimate employment relationships.

The Attorney General, DCJ, and NJSP work collaboratively to combat human trafficking through education, collaboration, and prosecution. Those efforts include: training and assisting federal, state, and local law enforcement officers to identify the signs of trafficking and its victims; coordinating statewide efforts to identify and provide services to victims; investigating and prosecuting human trafficking cases; and raising public awareness through public outreach and educational materials.

An education of residents on what to look for could help with the removal and arrests of these criminals.

NJSP administers a NJ Human Trafficking Hotline to identify and intervene in human trafficking cases.  Last year, the hot line received 97 tips on suspected human trafficking. All tips are screened and forwarded to DCJ or other appropriate law enforcement entities, including municipal police departments and county prosecutors' offices.

If If you believe you have identified a trafficking victim call 24/7 toll- 855.END.NJ.HT (855-363-6548). GET HELP.

Hopefully, local and state authorities understand Trenton exists as a center for sex trafficking and employment exploitation. While these offenses occur throughout the capital city, Chambersburg holds ground zero status as the hub for illegal activity.

Working together and diligently, we can win this fight.

L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at [email protected].

 

This “Eyes on Trafficking” story is reprinted from its original location.

ABOUT

PBJ Learning is a leading provider of online human trafficking training, focusing on awareness and prevention education. Their interactive Human Trafficking Essentials online course is used worldwide to educate professionals and individuals how to recognize human trafficking and how to respond to potential victims. Learn on any web browser (even your mobile phone) at any time.

More stories like this can be found in your PBJ Learning Knowledge Vault.

 

EYES ON TRAFFICKING

This “Eyes on Trafficking” story is reprinted from its original online location.

ABOUT PBJ LEARNING

PBJ Learning is a leading provider of online human trafficking training, focusing on awareness and prevention education. Their interactive Human Trafficking Essentials online course is used worldwide to educate professionals and individuals how to recognize human trafficking and how to respond to potential victims. Learn on any web browser (even your mobile phone) at any time.

More stories like this can be found in your PBJ Learning Knowledge Vault.