Sex, labor trafficking subject of Atlanta summit

By Andria Simmons

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It's clear that Atlanta has become a hub for human trafficking, a fact bolstered by the FBI 's recent listing it as one of 14 cities in the nation with the highest incidents of children used in prostitution.

More than 400 federal, state and local law enforcement, nonprofit organizations and state officials sought solutions to the problem on Monday at a summit on human trafficking hosted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia at Georgia State University.

Proposals for combating human trafficking ranged from creating a day center where prostitutes can receive help to increasing training for law enforcement officers on how to recognize victims during traffic stops and sex sting operations.

The Georgia Care Connection, a program of the Governor's Office for Children and Families that cares for victims of child sex trafficking, shared these statistics about 101 referals they have received since June 2009:

• 100 percent were female.
• The average age when referred was 15.
• The majority (65 percent) lived in Fulton and DeKalb counties.
• 78 percent were confirmed victims and 22 percent were considered "at risk" for becoming exploited.
• Majority were African-American
• Majority were raised by a single parent or in state custody.

GBI Director Vernon Keenan said on July 1, he formed a specialized unit comprised of four investigators to work human trafficking cases to tackle the problem, which Gov. Nathan Deal had named as a priority for his administration. Previously, the bureau didn't get involved in such cases unless a local police department requested their help. Now, with the help of federal grant money, they will provide training to officers on recognizing and identifying human trafficking victims and they will work cases.

Already, the newly formed unit has been contacted by police from other states about two children ages 14 and 16 who were being prostituted in Atlanta. One victim was from Wisconsin and another from Tennessee. Both have been found and returned home, Keenan said. The GBI is investigating their respective pimps.

The victims of several human trafficking victims spoke Monday, including one father of a 14-year-old daughter who was swept up in a cycle of prostitution shortly after she moved from Augusta to Atlanta. She was given a fake ID and transported to Texas, Alabama and California at various times by her pimp. At the age of 16, she died in a car while driving to reunite with her pimp, the father told the crowd.

Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard, who said he will embark on his 47th prosecution of a pimp next week, urged police officials in attendance to designate a person in their department to specialize in human trafficking. He also said there is a need for special counseling and treatment services for victims, many of whom struggle to break the cycle of prostitution even after they have been rescued.