South Dakota battles modern slavery: trafficking awareness

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – Human trafficking is modern slavery. It’s in every state, and South Dakota is not immune to this crime.

Since the National Human Trafficking Hotline started in 2007, they have received 909 reports in the Mount Rushmore state. Freedom’s Journey in western South Dakota helps human trafficking victims feel safe again. The National Human Trafficking Hotline reports 100 signals to report human trafficking, up nearly 40 from 2020.

“Freedom’s Journey, that ministry I lead, we’ve helped hundreds of trafficking survivors. They don’t meet the stereotypical understanding. Most of the trafficking survivors we worked with were trafficked by family members or other members of trust. The stranger danger abduction is rare,” says Tess Franzen, Founder and Executive Director of Freedom’s Journey.

Franzen believes there has been a rise in reports of human trafficking because more people are aware of the form of modern slavery.

Check out the Freedom Expo on January 20th from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Holiday Inn in Rapid City. This event is free and will help explain how real human trafficking is here in South Dakota.

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