Georgia officials celebrated the opening Tuesday of a 24-bed facility in Gwinnett County designed to help sex trafficking victims transition into society.
First Lady Marty Kemp and members of the Grace Commission, the panel she leads that vets new ways to punish the crime and safeguard victims, attended the ceremony.
The Lawrenceville complex, known as Grace’s Place, will be run through a private firm under the Department of Human Services. It will house male and female victims of sex trafficking crimes who are between the ages of 13 and 17.
It’s part of a spate of initiatives by Marty Kemp to target the scourge. Gov. Brian Kemp lsat year signed a measure that increases the penalty for business owners who don’t post notices that detail how victims of human trafficking can get help.
Other measures include a trio of laws adopted in 2021 that gives victims new power to sue for damages against traffickers and require more education about how to prevent the crime.
Anyone with information or suspicions of human trafficking should call the state hotline at 1-866-ENDHTGA, where they can speak with trained law enforcement agents, advocates and first responders.
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