Mississippi

Spelling the name of this state out loud is a catchy way to remember it, and a way to make sure you spell it correctly. The name “Mississippi” comes from an Indian word meaning “great waters” or “father of waters.” Mississippi entered the Union as the 20th state in 1817. Considered part of the Deep South, Mississippi, with its rich soil and many rivers, is an agricultural state. The state flower is the fragrant magnolia blossom, and the capital is Jackson.

Human trafficking is a serious issue that affects people all around the world, including in Mississippi. It is a form of modern slavery in which individuals are exploited for labor, sexual exploitation, or other purposes.

According to data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Mississippi has consistently had relatively low numbers of human trafficking cases reported compared to other states in the United States. In 2020, the state ranked 44th in the country for the number of cases reported to the hotline, with a total of 17 cases.

Human trafficking can take many forms in Mississippi, including forced labor, domestic servitude, and sexual exploitation. It often affects vulnerable populations, such as immigrants, children, and people who are homeless or in poverty.

If you suspect that someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, there are steps you can take to help. You can report the situation to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or by text at 233733. You can also contact local law enforcement or a trusted organization that provides services to victims of human trafficking. It is important to remember that the safety of the victim should be the top priority and to handle the situation with care and sensitivity.

 

 

RWJBarnabas using $500K federal grant to fight human trafficking – NJBIZ
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RWJBarnabas using $500K federal grant to fight human trafficking – NJBIZ

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and RWJBarnabas Health used the designation to kick off a program funded by a $500,000 federal grant aimed at combating the practice.  The funding – announced in October 2022 by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families’ Office on Trafficking in Persons –…

Wesley House hosts a walk to bring awareness to human trafficking in our own community
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Wesley House hosts a walk to bring awareness to human trafficking in our own community

MERIDIAN, Miss. (WTOK) -Human trafficking is an issue that is taking over the country, but many people don’t know that human trafficking is intertwined within their own community. “A lot of the times, we think that human trafficking happens in these really big cities or in highly populated areas, but human trafficking happens right here…

Summit to address human trafficking in Alabama
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Summit to address human trafficking in Alabama

The issue of sex and labor trafficking in Alabama will take center stage in Montgomery. The ninth annual Alabama Human Trafficking Summit will feature speakers from law enforcement to victims’ support groups. The event is taking place just after West Alabama law officers arrested fifteen people during an undercover sting operation. David Pinkleton is with…

How Hurricane Katrina recovery workers became trapped in forced labor
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How Hurricane Katrina recovery workers became trapped in forced labor

Squalid work camps, 24-hour shifts, heavy surveillance, and withheld wages: these were the conditions that 500 Indian workers became trapped in after they were lured to the U.S. to repair oil rigs in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. In his new book, The Great Escape, labor organizer Saket Soni tells the story of the workers…

Miss. secretary of state stops by USM for human trafficking summit – WDAM
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Miss. secretary of state stops by USM for human trafficking summit – WDAM

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) – Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson stopped by The University of Southern Mississippi’s Hattiesburg campus Tuesday afternoon for a conference on human trafficking. Watson, along with business owners and organizational leaders, combined for the Mississippi Businesses Against Trafficking summit. The MBAT summit is put on by the USM School of Social…

Secretary of State and USM host summit on human trafficking – WXXV News 25
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Secretary of State and USM host summit on human trafficking – WXXV News 25

6 hours agoUnknown to many, Mississippi is a hot spot for human trafficking because of the major highways that run through it such as I-10 and the various ports it offers to the public. When Secretary of State Michael Watson heard this, he set out to raise awareness and save lives. Watson partnering with USM…

Survivor shares personal testimony of escaping Human Trafficking in South Mississippi
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Survivor shares personal testimony of escaping Human Trafficking in South Mississippi

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) – Sharon Robbins was just an 18-year-old teenager when she was recruited to be a sex worker. She remembers the harrowing day well, being approached while waitressing at a local beach restaurant on Highway 90. “There was a gentleman that came in and set at the breakfast bar every morning,” Robbins said….

USM set to host Human Trafficking Awareness Summit
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USM set to host Human Trafficking Awareness Summit

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) – Tuesday afternoon, an issue that encompasses a neighborhood block to around the world will be brought out of the shadows. The “Mississippi Businesses against Trafficking Summit” will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Joe Paul Theater inside the Thad Cochran Center on the University of Southern Mississippi…

January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month: What you need to know – WDAM
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January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month: What you need to know – WDAM

PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – Human trafficking is an on-going issue that the United States is fighting. “It exploits our most vulnerable populations, those who are poor, those who are unemployed, those are who are marginalized, either LGBTQ, racial minorities,” said Tamara Hurst, the co-director of the University of Southern Mississippi’s Center for Human Trafficking…

Hattiesburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated to host human …
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Hattiesburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated to host human

The Hattiesburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated will host a forum, “Beneath the Surface: An Evening Discussion about Human Trafficking” on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, to generate awareness of human trafficking, to foster multidisciplinary cooperation and to better support victims. An issue affecting the region and state, human trafficking is often a…