Peach Tree Times

Georgia's first lady Marty Kemp is raising awareness about human trafficking across the Peach State. 

The Newnan Times-Herald reports Kemp recently held a meeting with the Newnan Rotary Club to discuss the threat of human trafficking. Following a press conference about the prevalence of human trafficking in Georgia, she decided to use her position to educate community members about trafficking prevention. 

“I decided then and there that I would use my voice as first lady to fight human trafficking in Georgia and to put every ounce of effort that I have into making Georgia a haven for survivors of this terrible crime and also make it clear to traffickers that they are not welcome in the Peach State,” Kemp said, according to the Newnan Times-Herald.

Following Kemp’s awareness-raising efforts, the state legislature has unanimously passed six laws to combat human trafficking. These laws include making it easier for victims to change their names, sue anyone who profited off them, and have their criminal records sealed.

According to NBC WIS10 News, Kemp recently announced that a second recovery program will soon be opened for human trafficking survivors in Georgia. 

"I’m excited to share with you that we are opening our second receiving facility for survivors in the Peach State," Kemp said, according to NBC WIS10.

January was Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Month, and Jan. 11 was Wear Blue Day to raise awareness of human trafficking prevention.

"Thank you to all who joined in #WearBlueDay to raise awareness of human trafficking prevention," Kemp wrote in a Jan. 11 Facebook post. "Throughout this month and the entire year, we will continue the fight to end this modern-day slavery in our state and make Georgia a safe haven for survivors."

The Center for Public Policy Studies outlines the impact of sex trafficking in the state of Georgia, where 374 girls are trafficked for sex every month. It estimates 5,000 girls are currently at-risk. The average age girls enter the Georgia commercial sex market is 12 to 14 years old. More than 7,000 Georgia men pay for sex with an adolescent woman every month and 100 adolescent girls are sexually exploited every night in the state of Georgia. Atlanta has the highest rate of Hispanic females that are trafficked out of any location in the U.S.