Stopping Human Trafficking Will Require Greater Communication Among Agencies and Communities

Human trafficking is the barbaric practice of profiting in people, a form of slavery we assumed had been assigned to the ash heap of history. Sadly, today nearly 25 million people around the world are victims of trafficking.Make no mistake, the trafficking industry has become a global enterprise that rakes in billions of dollars a year. The Federal Bureau of Investigation declared human trafficking the third-largest criminal activity in the world. The FBI notes that ending this horrific practice will require a robust response from community leaders, all levels of law enforcement and government agencies.Trafficking does not discriminate based on race, political ideology or income. While it is infecting communities throughout the nation, we in Texas are especially familiar with this pure evil.According to data compiled by the Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault at the University of Texas, there are 300,000 victims of trafficking in Texas. Worst of all, almost 80,000 of those victims are children.As a father of five, I refuse to allow this to happen. We all have a responsibility to eradicate this disgusting practice and protect our children. Working together will be the only way we achieve success.  Continue reading...