Peach Tree Times

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr has recognized January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.

In a release from Carr, the attorney general vowed to share resources and information throughout the month to raise further awareness of the crime and its impact within the Peach State.

"Our Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit works vigorously to rescue victims and put buyers and traffickers behind bars," Carr said. "Our efforts are further strengthened by the support provided by the Governor, First Lady and members of our Georgia General Assembly, and we value these partnerships. We would encourage all Georgians to take this month to learn more about human trafficking and what you can do to help end this criminal industry here in Georgia."

Carr works to adjudicate human trafficking cases using the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit, which was formed in 2019 and coordinates efforts with law enforcement on local, state and federal levels. "In 2021 alone, the Unit initiated 25 cases, arrested 9 individuals, investigated and prosecuted 51 defendants, and rescued and assisted 107 victims," the office of the attorney general reported.

On Jan. 7, Carr said that the prosecution unit indicted an individual from Gwinnett County for trafficking of people for sexual servitude, an action following an undercover operation from the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Office Trafficking and Child Exploitation Unit.

"We understand that to end this cycle of abuse and exploitation, we must work together to identify, locate, arrest and prosecute those who would engage in this criminal industry. We look forward to seeking justice in court," Carr said.

Following a 10-month investigation, the task force was able to rescue a 14-year-old victim and arrest four Fulton County individuals for human trafficking in February 2021. The victim had been missing for approximately seven weeks, the office of the attorney general reported.

"Our team works from the ground-up to identify potential cases, locate and rescue victims, and prosecute buyers and traffickers," Carr said. "We remain dedicated in our efforts to protect our state's most vulnerable citizens and look forward to presenting these cases in court."

The Center for Public Policy Studies (CPPS) issued a report outlining the impact of sex trafficking in Georgia. In the state, 5,000 girls are currently at risk of being sex trafficked, and 374 girls are sexually trafficked every month. The average age of girls who enter the Georgia commercial sex market is 12 to 14. More than 7,000 Georgia men exploit an adolescent woman every month, and 100 underage girls are sexually exploited daily.

Atlanta has the highest amount of Hispanic females who are trafficked in the US, the CPPS reported.