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Human Trafficking is compelling someone to engage in a commercial sex act, labor or services through the use of force, fraud or coercion.
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But when you talk to people who have experienced this type of victimization, they don’t see it that way. They see it as their fault. They see it as something they grew up with – it is not human trafficking, it just is. They see it as a way to get drugs. They see it as something within their family and the shame and stigma keep them from labeling it. Or they even see it as something they chose to do so they are not at someone else’s mercy. But that does not change the fact that they are a victim of human trafficking.
Interim Prevalence Study for Human Trafficking in Appalachian Ohio
Survivor Data
Thank you to all! As the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio’s inaugural Pillar Fellow, Christi Scott Bartman has partnered with the Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (ONCAC) to establish baseline data on how many young people are either trafficked or at high risk of being trafficked in Appalachian Ohio. This information gathering initiative will provide a rough baseline of trafficking cases to identify potential missing populations, begin to measure prevalence of familial trafficking, assess the role drug use plays in trafficking, construct case profiles to facilitate identification of future cases, and examine what response strategies may be most effective based upon a regional needs assessment. From these insights we can together build a strong response and prevention network across Appalachian Ohio. Though not comprehensive, this initial report captured data from 79 providers and agencies across Appalachian Ohio. Based on these responses, the majority state that they could or currently do provide services to survivors of human trafficking (80%).
Offender Data
New Services Directories Available!
Relink.org and Eyes Up Appalachia teamed to create directories of services in the Appalachian Ohio Counties. You can see the directories here but you can always search https://needs.relink.org/ for the most recent update of service providers by need or county.
