“It was walking around with just, you’re a prostitute, you’re trouble, you’re rebellious, you’re, no good. Human trafficking is everywhere.”. Familial Trafficking, people recruiting and trafficking their own family members for sex in exchange for money or drugs, is a growing problem and is happening in every corner of South Carolina. The Hotline is available 24/7, 365 days a year, and in more than 200 languages. The Hotline is available 24/7, 365 days a year, and in more than 200 languages. “I had to work the streets. Additionally, South Carolina’s human trafficking laws allow victims to apply for expungement for any crimes like prostitution which is associated with trafficking. In South Carolina, victims of human trafficking include children, adults, U.S. citizens and foreign nationals who are subjected to sex or labor trafficking. Human traffickers are targeting children on the Grand Strand, forum speakers say – The State. They don’t feel that they in turn are being victimized. “I would say 90 percent of the women that I serve, and the people that I serve, don’t know either. Specialized Human Trafficking Victim Service Providers. “From 14 to 17, I was sold to pastors, doctors, lawyers, and police officers and people you think would never buy sex from a child, were purchasing me,” Wehunt said. South Carolina appears to be a hotbed of child prostitution. 1. Our attorneys can give you more information. January 12, 2019 at 9:43 am EST By JEFFREY COLLINS, Associated Press. You’re a criminal, you’re a thief, you’re a liar,” said Pounds. According to the task force’s 2019 annual report, the purpose of the task force is to collect and share trafficking data; identify criminals engaged in trafficking; … South Carolina passed anti-trafficking legislation in 2012, with some of the most comprehensive laws in the country. It was a nice Saturday night, we were sitting on the front porch, and we thought, ‘Let’s scratch off the tickets. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Officials know human trafficking in South Carolina is a growing problem. Presenting Sponsor “There’s nothing like getting to walk with somebody, like in their healing journey, and see them conquer their goals and learn to love themselves,” said Wehunt. According to the S.C.A.G’s Human Trafficking Task Force Year End Report 2017 , 41% of known trafficking survivors in S.C. … “Human trafficking is an egregious crime that often targets the most vulnerable among us for the profit of another,” McCoy said. Human trafficking is a sort of … According to law enforcement, drugs are often the driving force behind an adult selling a child. The 2019 South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force’s annual report shows Horry County has the most reported trafficking cases in the state … The federal government initiated four of the active criminal cases in South Carolina in 2018, ranking South Carolina 11th in the United States for the number of new criminal human trafficking cases. In 2019, 22,326 human trafficking victims were identified nationwide. Between January 2018 and December 2018, South Carolina identified: Out of these 156 cases, 107 were sex trafficking. They are both motivated by money. NEW CRIMINAL LABOR TRAFFICKING CASES … The confidential Hotline helps any person of any age, religion, race, language, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability. Aiken, Florence, Richland, Horry, Greenville, Jasper and Lexington Counties have the most reported human trafficking cases in South Carolina. Human Trafficking in South Carolina. For too long, many people have given little effort to understand the plight of victims. There are some human trafficking hotspots here because of the proximity to I-20 and the 1-95 interchange. The House Judiciary Committee, led by chairman Rob Kauffman, R-Franklin, approved eight bills to deter human traffickers and provide greater protections and recourse for victims. The South Carolina Office of the Attorney General, in partnership with the National Human Trafficking Hotline, posted three billboards (two sex trafficking and one labor trafficking) in the Myrtle Beach area. Join Sun News reporter David Weissman for a live virtual Q&A at noon on April 7, 2021 with a human trafficking expert and South Carolina state senator. Kat and Heather continue on their own path to healing and helping others with theirs. Skip to content. She learned the only way to get away from her trafficker was to sit behind bars. Our goal is to support you in a caring environment. The number of recorded human trafficking victims in South Carolina increased by 360% in 2019, according to the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force 2019 annual report. Sex and human trafficking laws encompass issues and crimes including: MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — The South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force launched a new program that would give truck drivers free access to human trafficking training. The South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force was formed in 2012 by Attorney General Alan Wilson under the Human Trafficking Act of 2012. A South Carolina bill moving through the Senate would allow thousands of DACA recipients and human trafficking victims obtain occupational licenses. The state had 13 active criminal cases. Go. We will support you. South Carolina had 13 criminal human trafficking cases active in 2018, ranking it 17th in the nation for number of active cases. Upstate South Carolina News. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. “I remember when I was sitting in Charleston County jail, I truly believe that Jesus rescued me that night,” said Pounds. Pounds was trafficking in some of the top counties in the state for human trafficking, including the No. Experts say major strides have been made in South Carolina since the passage of a sweeping anti-human trafficking bill in 2012. “During the whole time, I was getting doctor’s appointments and I was sitting in school and I was going to the grocery store, standing, like, behind normal people and nobody knew. § 16-3-2050(D)(3). Randy is the former President of the South Carolina Association for Justice. Instead, these people assign t… Back then it was called street walking. South Carolina Human Trafficking Numbers Explode! Attorney General Alan Wilson said there were 139 cases of human trafficking and 179 victims reported in South Carolina in 2020. Kathryn Moorehead, the director of the South Carolina Human Trafficking … Officials know human trafficking in South Carolina is a growing problem. That same year, South Carolina has made contact with more than 600 victims. Menu and widgets. So did nearly half of Horry County’s cases. Sex trafficking occurs in pimp-controlled street prostitution, commercial-front massage parlors and strip clubs, and closed-network residential brothels. Horry County jumped from 2nd to 1st place in its ranking for reported human trafficking cases in South Carolina. Nobody had any idea that I was being trafficked,” said Wehunt. There are likely thousands of victims in South Carolina at this moment. Learn more about human trafficking in South Carolina by browsing the hotline statistics, resources, and local events listings below. She remembers seeing the little boy playing in the front yard with his mother. In 2019, 35% of South Carolina’s human trafficking cases went to federal prosecutors. There were 678 reported victims in 2019 compared to 188 reported in 2018. Heather is now 44 years old and living in Columbia, but for nearly two decades she felt trapped in that life. You see them every day when in a car. South Carolina convicted 17 defendants in human trafficking cases in 2018, ranking it 5th in the nation for number of defendants convicted. Lanie knows what it’s like to feel dirty and unwanted. “He took me to this house and, sold me to three men that he owed something to.”. We serve clients throughout South Carolina. We strive to EDUCATE and raise awareness about human trafficking in order to provide people with the knowledge and tools needed to EMPOWER them to detect the warning signs of potential human trafficking situations in an effort to protect their own communities. Victims often know and trust their traffickers. "South Carolina sits between two of the top 20 Human Trafficking hubs — Charlotte and Atlanta.” AG Wilson said the program is a free 30 minute online session for people to … Call us at 803-327-7800 or reach out to us through our contact page. Atlanta and Charlotte are part of the top ten worst cities in America for … To mark the day, South Carolina’s attorney general released the state’s annual Human Trafficking report for 2020. The hope is to gain a better understanding of the prevalence of the crime, target communities for increased service provision, and assist Task Force members in securing funds for such services. She knows the feeling of shame and disgust. South Carolina reported 156 cases of human trafficking last year from the hotline, up from 127 the year before, according to the report. Human trafficking has come to the forefront of many Americans' minds through reporting, investigation and even popular culture. 1. Sex trafficking has two components: human trafficking and sexual slavery. The Internet has … The goal is for the Task Force to sponsor more billboards throughout the state while targeting key areas for increased … Randy has also been awarded the distinction of being a “Super Lawyer” 10 times in the last decade. Major interstate highways, a large and transient military population surrounded by sexually oriented businesses, numerous rural agricultural areas with a high demand for cheap labor, and an increasing number of gangs all contribute to making our state a hotbed for human trafficking.