Today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, and experts said the trafficking of women, children, and men continues to be a problem in Ohio.

According to federal data, more than 2,000 people were referred to attorneys for human trafficking offenses in 2021, a 49% increase from a decade ago.

Vanessa Perkins, director of programs for Freedom a la Cart in Columbus, a nonprofit catering company employing and empowering survivors of sex trafficking, said traffickers prey on an individual's vulnerabilities.

"That can be housing, that can be drug addiction, that can be food, that can be homelessness, it can be mental health, it can be disabilities," Perkins outlined. "There's many reasons that people are vulnerable."

She added victims of trafficking can contact crisis intervention centers, Freedom a la Cart or the Salvation Army if they do not want to go to the police.

If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 888-373-7888. The hotline said it received more than 1,000 calls from Ohio in 2021, and more than 350 of the calls were from victims or survivors of human trafficking.

Perkins pointed out it is possible to spot signs of human trafficking, including age differences between individuals traveling together, clothing seemingly inappropriate for the weather or situation, physical injuries or branding such as name tattoos on the face or chest, and a person deferring to another before speaking or giving information.

"For example, like if someone doesn't talk for themselves, if someone else is talking for them, that's like a red flag, it's an indicator," Perkins noted.

Last fall, Ohio law enforcement arrested 160 individuals involved in human trafficking, including 149 people wanting to buy sex. According to the Ohio Attorney General's Office, those arrested come from all backgrounds, including nurses, educators, retirees, former law enforcement officers, delivery drivers and others. The youngest person arrested was 17, and the oldest was 84.

Reporting by Ohio News Connection in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.

Service providers and advocacy groups in Ohio and across the country are facing uncertainty following recent executive orders that have thrown federal funding for crisis services into question.

Taylr Ucker-Lauderman, chief engagement officer at the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, said her organization relies on these funds to provide critical support to victims of sexual violence.

"These have become services and programs and entire organizations that communities in Ohio have come to depend on for decades," she said. "So we're talking about emergency life-saving services for people in our communities"

A national survey found that while 58% of local sexual-assault programs reported an increased demand for services, 40% reported a decrease in funding. This funding uncertainty is raising concerns about the potential strain on other community resources such as hospitals and emergency services.

Even with recent updates indicating that the memo on the federal funding freeze has been rescinded, Ohio service providers say the impact remains significant.

"Whether there is a federal funding freeze or it is rescinded, this still causes challenges for providing crisis services to survivors," she said. "Our time right now is focused on making Plan B or Plan C. This week the services are truly being impacted and interrupted."

Advocates have warned that funding instability, even if temporary, disrupts service continuity and creates long-term challenges for organizations that rely on these resources. While the memo reversal provides some relief, providers say they remain cautious about the broader implications for Ohioans who depend on these critical services.

For crime survivors in Mississippi, the healing journey often begins with finding resources that can feel out of reach.

A $7 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice could make a difference as they rebuild their lives. The funds will ensure support for priority groups, including survivors of child abuse, sexual assault, domestic violence and underserved populations.

The Mississippi State Department of Health's Office Against Interpersonal Violence oversees the funds.

Cerissa Eubanks, grant administrator for the office, said they will focus on addressing barriers and providing critical support.

"To me, in my words, what this means, this is an avenue to help save someone that's been a victim of crime," Eubanks emphasized. "You may not be able to address all issues, but you have a path to start the process, and this path comes with funding."

The department, like many support providers, is still rebounding after the pandemic, when access to services decreased, even as the number of calls to places like domestic violence hotlines and shelters increased.

Eubanks explained collaboration lies at the heart of the initiative. The Health Department is encouraging nonprofits, for-profit companies and other organizations to apply if they have ways to provide more support services.

"If you're interested in working with victims and you meet the eligibility requirement, please apply for those funds so that we can offer more direct services to all victims of crime within the state of Mississippi," Eubanks urged.

She stressed the importance of partnerships with organizations like the Mississippi Domestic Violence Coalition and the Mississippi Sexual Assault Coalition, which complement or supplement traditional policing efforts. She added a wraparound approach to providing services reinforces the reality that no one agency can do it alone.


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The giving season offers Ohioans an opportunity to reflect on the importance of supporting community services.

For survivors of sexual violence in rural Ohio, donations are critical in maintaining vital resources. In 2023, donations made up about 1% of incoming funds to the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence.

Taylr Ucker-Lauderman, chief engagement officer of the alliance, explained rural areas face unique challenges.

"We've known for a while that there are service gaps there," Ucker-Lauderman pointed out. "We still need to provide crisis services like legal aid, like housing, medical services, and we don't want to lose any momentum. We want to keep our work going."

Rural areas often lack the resources available in urban centers, creating barriers to critical services such as transportation and crisis support. The coalition emphasized the importance of believing survivors and supporting them on their journey toward healing. Ucker-Lauderman acknowledged while grants and foundation resources fund most of the coalition's efforts, there are still remaining areas requiring additional support.

The organization has also prioritized empowering survivors through storytelling workshops, offering tools to help them reclaim their narratives.

Shelby Lieber, survivor coordinator for the alliance, emphasized the importance of such efforts, especially in rural communities, where stigma often silences survivors with notions like, "It doesn't happen here" or "If it does, it stays behind closed doors."

"We want to make sure that you're hearing survivor voices," Lieber stressed. "That way, other survivors can come forward and say, 'This happened to me and I'm ready to start healing.'"

The Alliance recently concluded a three-year project focusing on rural Ohio, addressing service barriers and increasing local capacity. These efforts underscore the resilience of Ohio's rural communities and the ongoing need for resources to foster healing and change.