Mississippi officials form Human Trafficking Council to protect victims, and prevent and prosecute trafficking crimes

Human trafficking, the buying and selling of people for sex and labor, isn’t something that only happens elsewhere. It happens right here in Mississippi. In 2018, 84 cases of trafficking were reported in the state, and the majority of victims were under 18 and female, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Nationwide, almost 11,000 cases were reported last year.

On Wednesday, Sept. 11, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that Mississippi has formed a new Human Trafficking Council to prevent trafficking, protect victims and prosecute traffickers throughout the state.

The council will be co-chaired by three individuals: Assistant U.S. Attorney, Northern District of Mississippi Susan Bradley; Assistant U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Mississippi Kathlyn Van Buskirk; and Mississippi Human Trafficking Coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Ashlee Lucas.

The DOJ said in a statement that the council builds on the foundation established by Gov. Phil Bryant’s 2015 Human Trafficking Task Force Report and other task forces throughout the country. It is intended to be victim-centered and collaborative, using a multi-disciplinary model.

“This is the first statewide trafficking council, and it will help law enforcement more effectively prosecute criminals and protect the rights of victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the DOJ Civil Rights Division in the statement. “This is another strong step in the Department of Justice’s commitment to fighting violent crime and protecting the most vulnerable in our society.”

The council’s operations will be multi-layered. A steering committee will act as the organization’s policy-making body. Five subcommittees will focus on protecting adult and minor victims through outreach and public awareness, strategic planning and trafficking protocol, policy and legislation, and training and victim service. Finally, the council will also include the small, regional task forces that consist of local, state, federal and tribal law enforcement, local prosecutors, and victim service providers, each led by an assistant U.S. attorney.

“It’s important to me that we make the process work for these victims while we support those law enforcement personnel on the ground across our state who are on the front lines fighting human trafficking,” said Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn.

“Human trafficking is a crime against humanity, and the monsters who commit these crimes against our children and our fellow human beings will continue to face swift and certain justice in our district,” said U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst in the statement. “This Council will coordinate multiple entities and agencies, and help our citizens effectively battle this growing epidemic in our state. I want to thank our law enforcement, our prosecutors, and our governmental and non-governmental partners for stepping up to take this fight to the traffickers.

“At the end of the day, this is all about protecting victims, preventing trafficking and prosecuting the criminals.”