Human Trafficking in Our Backyard
By Rep. Kristi Noem
It’s hard for me to really grasp how something like this happens in South Dakota. The website promised to connect “sugar daddies” with “sugar babies,” which is repulsive in its own right. But that’s the website where, according to recent press reports, an area doctor appears to have met a young girl and arranged for her to travel from Georgia to Sioux Falls for sex. He was brought up on trafficking charges earlier this month. It’s another stark reminder that human trafficking isn’t just happening worlds away. It’s happening in our backyards.
Over the last few years, we’ve taken great care in writing comprehensive legislation to strengthen the law when it comes to cracking down on the purchase and sale of our children, while also increasing the support offered to survivors.
I was honored to be part of that process, uniting congressional women around this issue through the Bipartisan Women’s Caucus, which I co-chair, and authoring provisions that help give survivors a safe place to go and offer anti-trafficking groups more tools to go after traffickers in a collaborative, evidence-based manner.
We also took on websites that knowingly engage in human trafficking like Backpage.com – whose offices were raided and CEO arrested for trafficking recently – and included additional protections to those within the foster care system, as these young people often face a greater risk of becoming trafficked.
The provisions we championed were thorough, thoughtful and bipartisan, and I was extremely humbled to see them signed into law earlier this year.
But more must be done. Over 87 percent of trafficking survivors come into hospitals having experienced violent and unusual trauma, yet fewer than 3 percent of healthcare workers have been trained on identifying and treating trafficking victims. That’s why Congress has put forward the SOAR to Health and Wellness Act, which would provide additional support in this area. I’ve also co-sponsored legislation, which would provide similar training to flight attendants, something that could make a difference for girls like the young woman recently flown from Georgia to Sioux Falls.
Additionally, each of us can play a role in building greater awareness. You may have seen signs posted recently warning out-of-state hunters that South Dakota is serious about human trafficking. That kind of awareness around any large event is critical, but so is the work that is happening because of community-based groups throughout the state. The more people we have looking for signs of trafficking, the more opportunities we will have to combat this criminal industry.
The Polaris Project, a nationwide anti-trafficking organization, highlights a few things we should be on the lookout for: Has someone you know indicated they aren’t free to come or go as they wish? Are they overly fearful, anxious or depressed? Do they lack proper healthcare or show signs of physical or sexual abuse? If you have concerns that you or someone you care about is at risk of being trafficked, please contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline immediately at 888-373-7888.
Human trafficking can – and does – happen, even in South Dakota. I know it’s a difficult topic to discuss with your kids, friends or neighbors, but I encourage you to do so anyway.
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Congresswoman Noem, how about a column about getting behind Trump since we are a mere two weeks from the election. We need to defeat Hillary, and time is growing short.