Ohio is set to unveil the “first-ever” statewide human trafficking hotline, according to an announcement made by state officials.
At the fifth annual Human Trafficking Summit in Columbus on Wednesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the establishment of a statewide human trafficking hotline, 844-END-OHHT (844-363-6448). The tool will route incoming tips about suspected sex and labor trafficking straight to the proper law enforcement agencies.
Survivors, social workers, healthcare professionals, law enforcement officers, lawyers, prosecutors, judges, and other community stakeholders working to end human trafficking in Ohio attended the summit.
He said, “It’s simple: the more we know, the more we can help.” “We need to keep pushing these efforts forward so that, every day, those who buy sex or compel another’s labor know that we’re coming for them.”
In 2007, the establishment of a national human trafficking hotline, 888-373-7888, occurred. The service connects victims with support resources, as well as receiving tips about suspected human trafficking cases and reporting them to the appropriate authorities.
Polaris, a nonprofit, non-governmental organization based in Washington, D.C., runs the national line. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and can be reached via phone, text, webchat, email, or webform in more than 200 languages.
The hotline has received around 432,902 communications since its start, with 100,891 cases of human trafficking and 197,000 victims identified, according to its website. The national hotline received 12,953 signals from Ohio, identifying 3,630 incidents and 6,825 victims.
According to Yost, Ohio ranks among the top ten states in terms of the number of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Ohio has one of the country’s largest interstate systems, making it easier for traffickers to transport victims, the Ohio Turnpike claims.
The Ohio hotline will go live later this year, but Yost did not provide a date. His office informed NBC4 that they are still finalizing specifics and are not yet ready to provide additional information, such as whether the hotline will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and who will staff it.
