JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – Human trafficking is a crime hidden in plain sight affecting thousands across the nation and Region 8.

In Arkansas, the battle against human trafficking is gaining momentum thanks to organizations across the state.

At the forefront is the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council, led by Arkansas State Police Sergeant Matt Foster.

The council includes local non-profits and state authorities coming together to perform operations against human trafficking. Their goal is to raise awareness and provide support to victims.

“You know, if not us then who?” said Foster. “I believe, after three operations we identified there’s a problem and now it’s starting to find those solutions.”

Foster has been leading the charge in the statewide fight against human trafficking and wants everyone to understand how much each community means to the cause.

“In Hot Springs, Jonesboro, we pick out a hotel; a hotel owner will help us with the rooms for the operation,” he explained. “Garland County has a human trafficking task force. That task force was able to provide us with food and drinks for our law enforcement operation that night. So, whenever we have our briefing, we’re all fed. In Jonesboro, we had a local church donate the food to us. I’m so thankful for all the community involvement and all the troopers and all the victim services that travel into these communities.”

While they have already conducted a few operations, the fight isn’t over.

Organizations like Hope Found of Northeast Arkansas and its director Megan Brown are still working locally day in and day out to raise awareness about who trafficking can happen to and how it can happen.

“Traffickers are looking for those with noticeable vulnerabilities, so they prey on vulnerable populations,” said Megan Brown. “That means our kids, that means people that are homeless, that are addicted to drugs, that are in some kind of state of desperation, and they need help. And here comes a trafficker trying to exploit that vulnerability.”

Because of the need to increase awareness, spotting someone in one of these situations can be hard to do.

Brown emphasized that many victims of human trafficking are not chained up and held captive all the time.

“It does happen, but it’s all about the mental chains that they’re enduring,” she said.

If you notice anything out of the ordinary with someone close to you, Sergeant Foster encourages you to ask questions and get to know their situation better. He also urges reporting anything suspicious.

“Reporting is the most important thing, in what the public can do,” Foster said. “So we can respond to that incident and might be able to save someone’s life, might be able to save a child’s life. Understand, human trafficking is here. It’s in Arkansas.”

Both Brown and Sergeant Foster want everyone to remember that human trafficking is a prevalent issue in rural areas as well as large cities. They both want everyone to come together and give victims their voice back.

“It’s all about choice, giving this individual a choice for the first time in a long time,” Foster said. “It’s just a powerful thing to see everybody, arms working for one goal.”

For more information on indicators and how to report possible human trafficking, visit the websites for the Arkansas Department of Public Safety and Hope Found of NEA.

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