Billings task force raises awareness about human trafficking
Scripps
and last updated 2021-01-22 12:20:51-05
Nationwide, human trafficking is a $2.5 billion to $3 billion industry, according to the Human Trafficking Task Force in Yellowstone County.
Females and males are both victims of sex trafficking.
The advocates say there is a misconception and stigma that victims are part of the problem.
KTVQ Human trafficking is defined as using force, fraud, or coercion in order to obtain sex or work from an individual, said Carrie Fleming, a member on the task force s prevention and awareness committee. So any vulnerabilities that exist between substance abuse or runaways or unstable housing mental health concerns, things like that can be exploited to use somebody in a way that sort of just perpetuates a cycle for them to remain under.