Montana

Montana is known as “Big Sky Country”. The members of the Lewis and Clark expedition were the first white explorers known to have set foot in Montana. It joined the United States in 1889 as the 41st state. The name Montana comes from the Spanish word Montana, meaning “mountainous,” although the eastern part of the state consists of gently rolling pastureland. The Anaconda Company had a stranglehold on the state’s copper industry for about 100 years, but today Montana is known as a tourist destination for those drawn to its many trout streams and wide open spaces. Its capital is Helena and the state flower is the bitterroot.

Human trafficking is a serious issue that affects people all around the world, including in Montana. 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, Montana has consistently had relatively low numbers of human trafficking cases reported compared to other states in the United States. In 2020, the state ranked 50th in the country for the number of cases reported to the hotline, with a total of 6 cases.

Human trafficking can take many forms in Montana, 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.

 

 

TN AG Skrmetti Joins Bipartisan Effort Calling on Congress to Improve Federal-State Coordination
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TN AG Skrmetti Joins Bipartisan Effort Calling on Congress to Improve Federal-State Coordination

Nashville – Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti, in partnership with 35 other state attorneys general, sent a letter to Congressional leaders informing them of an issue of grave concern with the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The letter requests assistance from Congress to preserve the critical joint federal-state effort to end trafficking. Since 2007, Polaris has…

Funding The LifeGuard Group’s Fight Against Human Trafficking – Hi-Line Today
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Funding The LifeGuard Group’s Fight Against Human Trafficking – Hi-Line Today

The Gianforte Family Foundation provided substantial financial aid to a compassionate organization. Tami Hochhalter the co-founder of The LifeGuard Group, a Montana organization that works to eliminate human trafficking as well as rehabilitate survivors of human trafficking, explains the funds received from the Gianforte foundation. “Our largest donation actually came from the Gianforte Family Foundation,…

Local Leaders Work to Promote Human Trafficking Awareness
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Local Leaders Work to Promote Human Trafficking Awareness

Several years ago, after Diane Yarus attended a presentation focused on human trafficking prevention in Montana at the attorney general’s office in Billings, she and Jeanne Parker, who was with the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office at the time, set out to launch a task force to provide more victim resources and facilitate awareness training in…

Montana's Alarming Trend Regarding Human Trafficking and What is Being Done
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Montana's Alarming Trend Regarding Human Trafficking and What is Being Done

According to Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen law enforcement is changing their perspective towards a major crime. “I think a lot of law enforcement for decades have not really understood what human trafficking is. We treated it like prostitution. We treated it like a victimless crime, two consenting parties, and that is just not the…

Proposed legislation aims to crack down on human trafficking | | choteauacantha.com
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Proposed legislation aims to crack down on human trafficking | | choteauacantha.com

Sen. Jodee Etchart, R-Billings, told the House Judiciary Committee on Jan. 11 that according to stats from the Department of Justice, human trafficking in Montana has risen roughly 300% from 2021 to 2022. Etchart said that is why she is sponsoring House Bill 112, which supporters say would address the issue and strengthen the state’s…

AG Knudsen, MTDOJ support stronger penalties and increased prosecutions on Human Trafficking
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AG Knudsen, MTDOJ support stronger penalties and increased prosecutions on Human Trafficking

January 11, 2023 Press Release HELENA – Today, on Human Trafficking Awareness Day, Attorney General Austin Knudsen, Attorney General’s Office prosecutors, Department of Justice human trafficking agents, and other advocates testified in House Judiciary Committee in support of House Bill 112. Sponsored by Rep. Jodee Etchert the legislation will strengthen Montana’s human trafficking laws by…

Montana lawmakers hear proposed overhaul to human trafficking laws – KTVH
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Montana lawmakers hear proposed overhaul to human trafficking laws – KTVH

HELENA — Jan. 11 is the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness, and Montana leaders marked the day by proposing a major overhaul of the state’s trafficking laws. “It’s time to tell those offenders ‘Not in our state,’” said Rep. Jodee Etchart, R-Billings. Etchart is sponsoring House Bill 112, at the request of the Montana…

South Dakota MMIP, human trafficking coordinators excited to get to work – KELOLAND.com
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South Dakota MMIP, human trafficking coordinators excited to get to work – KELOLAND.com

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — The first week of a new job can be overwhelming for many and that is especially true for Allison Morrisette and Mary Beth Holzwarth. Monday, the two began their roles as South Dakota’s inaugural Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons coordinator and human trafficking coordinator and by Wednesday, they were being…

How people use TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story to educate others
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How people use TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story to educate others

Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEFcares.org) licenses their virtual reality empathy training software, TRAPPED: A VR Detective Story, to trainers and groups across the world. We are so impressed to see all the ways our licensees have created educational opportunities with our learning tools!  Screenshot of Lisa’s neighborhood in the interactive experience, TRAPPED: A VR Detective…