Kansas attorney general Derek Schmidt has recorded a public service announcement for radio to call attention to issues with human trafficking.
The U.S. Department of Justice says human trafficking is one of the largest and fastest-growing criminal industries in the world. Both sex trafficking and labor trafficking occur in Kansas and it has adults and children as victims. The state’s location and interstate system make it a major transportation area for trafficking victims.
Schmidt said the public can help by reporting suspicious activity to a national hotline at 888-3737-888, or by contacting local law enforcement in emergency situations.
Kansas is one of 15 states whose trafficking laws have received an A ranking from the victim advocacy group Shared Hope International. The group wants to see more improvement in Kansas in the criminal justice system’s handling of sex-trafficking victims who commit crimes themselves. The Kansas Legislature began discussions on that issue last year, and Schmidt said he expects those talks to continue in the 2020 session.
The attorney general’s office is planning training programs for law enforcement officers later this month, and it will focus on the resources available to help in establishing the status of a child who may be missing, exploited or at risk of exploitation.
