January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
Did you know that more than 20,000 cases of Human Trafficking are reported annually in the United States? And according to the Department of State, the top three states for human trafficking are California, New York and Texas.
In January 2020, San Bernardino County’s Human Trafficking Task Force took part in Operation Reclaim and Rebuild — a weeklong collaborative operation in cities including Hesperia and Victorville that resulted in the rescue of 20 human trafficking victims and the arrest of 106 suspects.
In recognition of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, in collaboration with the Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation (C.A.S.E.), is hosting a series of webinars about the risks of youth exploitation and human trafficking. Registration is free, but required on Eventbrite.
Following is the webinar schedule:
- Thursday, Jan. 7: San Bernardino County Human Trafficking Task Force
- Thursday, Jan. 14: Tina Begdeli, Program Manager – Nation Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
- Thursday, Jan. 21: Human Trafficking Social Media and Education. Presenters Greg Jones-San Bernardino County Sheriff Department, Public Affairs and Angel Magallanes, Coordinator- Coalition Against Sexual Exploitation
- Thursday, Jan. 28: Forgotten Children Documentary & Panel. Participants: Director Melody Miller, Elizabeth Beebee, Rachel Thomas, Angel Magallanes, and Greg Jones
Anyone wishing to report human trafficking can contact the San Bernardino County Human Trafficking Task Force at 909-387-8400 or email at humantrafficking@sbcsd.org.
The Open Door, a division of the Family Assistance Program in Victorville, provides mentorship, advocacy and support to victims and survivors of human trafficking. The agency’s 24-hour anti-human trafficking hotline is 909-333-7476.