Advocates are sharing ways to combat human trafficking in Hampton Roads

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — Human trafficking is a modern take on slavery across the world, and within Hampton Roads trafficking numbers continue to increase.

As stated on the Human Trafficking Hotline, in 2022 Virginia ranked 22nd for the number of trafficking calls.

Trafficking situations include sex trafficking, labor trafficking, and sex & laboring trafficking.

Human trafficking isn't just limited to females, in recent years we have seen an increase in males being trafficked as well.

Aside from gender, there has also been a recent increase in trafficking amongst specific demographic groups.

According to the National Center of Sexual Exploitation website here in Hampton Roads, we have the highest number of missing exploited children within the African American community.

Tanya Gould, The Director of Anti-Human Trafficking for the Attorney General's Office of Virginia and a survivor of human trafficking tells News 3, during her time volunteering at local hospitals here in Virginia she worked with kids who were identified as being trafficked.

“It's sad to say that already we were seeing kids that averaged around the age of 15. But after COVID that number went down to 13, so we have a problem, said Gould.”

Tanya isn't the only one taking steps to shine a light on this ongoing issue, Fay Chelmow. President of ImPACT Virginia is taking her knowledge and passion for awareness to emerging medical students.

With the hopes that they will, recognize signs of human trafficking victims when patients come to the emergency rooms.

She tells News 3, that due to the low educational value of medical students' understanding of how to identify human trafficking. Her organization made strides to change this narrative.

“We are partnered with the VCU school of medicine, we created a “human trafficking elective” for the medical students where we educate medical students as well as the healthcare community at large about human trafficking, how to recognize victims and survivors in the healthcare setting and how to respond in trauma-informed ways, said Chelmow.”

With the implementation of the first Anti-Trafficking Law created in 2015, law enforcement has been working hand and hand with advocates to ensure safety for all residents.

Combating human trafficking is a community effort and with the help of local non-profits, law officials and other resource groups awareness of this crime can go beyond the month of January.

“It's time to confront these issues and take responsibility, and accountability for this and go after our vulnerable communities so that we don't have vulnerable communities, but so that we are strong, and were strengthened because we are helping each other.”

To find more resources and information on human trafficking visit thehumantraffickinghotline.org