Ohio looks beyond traditional law enforcement

According to Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s “Governor’s Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force Report” released in January, there are at least an estimated 3,000 minors at-risk for human trafficking in the state of Ohio.

Human trafficking is defined on the Human Trafficking Task Force website, www.humantrafficking. ohio.gov, as a form of modern-day slavery in which criminals profit from the control and exploitations of others. Trafficking takes place in one of two forms: labor trafficking — compelling people to provide labor or services; and sex trafficking — forcing individuals to perform commercial sex acts.

“Both use force, fear and coercion to keep victims working against their will,” according to a news release. “Both types occur in Ohio.”

In 2015, Ohio ranked fourth in the nation for calls for the numbers of human trafficking cases reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline number. In 2012, Ohio ranked 11th in the nation, according to the governor’s task force report.

“Over the last several years, Ohio’s calls to the national hotline have increased. More specifically, 4.8 percent (1,066 calls) of the total calls made to the national hotline came from Ohio in 2015, compared with 3.4 percent (459 calls) of the total in 2012,” the report stated.

In 2015, Ohio law enforcement agencies reported 102 human trafficking investigations that led to 104 arrests, 33 successful prosecutions and the identification of 203 potential victims, an Ohio Highway Patrol news release stated.

The state of Ohio began taking steps five year ago to combat human trafficking. Human trafficking is described by the Polaris Project as a market based economy that exists on principles of supply and demand and thrives because of the ability to produce high profits with low risk.

In March 2012, the Governor John R. Kasich Task Force was created by executive order to help combat human trafficking in the state and educate Ohioans about the problem.

The task force, according to Sophia Papadimos, antitrafficking coordinator for Ohio Department of Public Safety, Office of Criminal Justice, was designed “to marshal the resources of state agencies help identify victims of human trafficking, support law enforcement efforts to investigate and prosecute crimes of human trafficking, and provide the services and treatment necessary for survivors to regain control of lives.”

Education seems to have become key in the battle against human trafficking. Since the creation of the Governor’s Task Force, statewide training for employees in many industries has been a focus.

Starting in 2016, all trucking schools were required to provide one hour of human trafficking awareness to those seeking to obtain a commercial driver’s license.

The Ohio Hotel and Lodging Association has taken steps to train hotel employees on spotting the signs of trafficking and how to report it.

According to Papadimos, over the past five years, state task force agencies such as the ODPS have been working to bolster existing resources and services available to meet the goals set by the Governor’s Task Force and strengthen a coordinated response throughout the state.

“Now the task force has enlisted the efforts of the state’s undercover agents, who often interact with potential victims of human trafficking in the course of their assigned enforcement roles,” she said. “They are in a unique position to identify victims because they are in places where this could be happening.”

There are about 80 certified undercover agents statewide in the Ohio Investigative Unit, a division of ODPS. This agency investigates violations of liquor and/or tobacco laws, as well as food stamp fraud, according to Papadimos. The agents, as with most law enforcement personnel, had previously undergone some training, but since the Task Force was formed, there has been a lot more learned about human trafficking in Ohio.

“Because of their role as sole enforcement agents for the Liquor Control Commission, Ohio Investigative Unit agents are uniquely positioned to reach youth and young adults on liquor permit premises, and routinely partner with local law enforcement on investigations,” she said.

The agents work out of six district offices in Toledo, Cleveland, Akron, Cincinnati, Columbus and Athens.

Human trafficking training is available to a wide variety of professionals, including social workers, medical personnel and hotel employees, through the Anti-Trafficking Coordinator’s Office.

While many professions can voluntarily take the training, policy and Ohio Revised Code require it of others, such as law enforcement officers.

“School districts are also required to incorporate human trafficking training content into safety and violence prevention training programs,” Papadimos said.

She also noted that there is a policy through the Ohio Department of Administrative Services that requires three hours of in-person human trafficking training conducted by the OHP for state employees who perform duties of law enforcement officers, juvenile justice and adult corrections professionals.

“Ohio’s progress in combating trafficking is both exciting and sobering,” said Ranade Janis, former anti-trafficking coordinator for the state of Ohio, in the Governor’s Task Force Report. “More victims have access to justice, and more offenders are being punished because of a strong state response, a committed network of victim service providers and survivor advocates, and trained law enforcement.

“But this means more victims continue to emerge from the shadows of exploitation, more intensive law enforcement investigations are necessary to lock up traffickers, and more trauma-informed care is necessary to help survivors rebuild their lives.”

To report a human trafficking tip, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline Resource Center at 888-373-7888 or text BeFree to 233733. The toll free number is available anywhere in the United States, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.