TBI Releases First Ever Look at Human Sex Trafficking in Tennessee | WDEF News 12 | News, Weather and Sports for Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley

TBI Releases First Ever Look at Human Sex Trafficking in Tennessee | WDEF News 12 | News, Weather and Sports for Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley
TBI Releases First Ever Look at Human Sex Trafficking in Tennessee
Submitted by WDEF on May 18, 2011 - 7:17pm. News | Crime | Bledsoe County News | Bradley County News | Grundy County News | Hamilton County News | Marion County News | McMinn County News | Meigs County News | Polk County News | Rhea County News | Sequatchie County News
The T-B-I today released the first state-wide study of the human sex trafficking problem in Tennessee. With the help of Vanderbilt University, researchers looked at the slavery of women and children forced to perform sex acts for money.

And they found examples in most Tennessee counties.

26-50 Cases Hamilton Co.
16-25 Cases Bradley Co.
6-15 Cases Grundy, Marion, McMinn
1-5 Cases Bledsoe, Rhea, Meigs
0 Cases Sequatchie, Polk
Hamilton county ranked in the top eight counties for human trafficking cases. Bradley is second in our area. Only Sequatchie and Polk counties did not report any cases to the TBI.

Here is a release today from the TBI:


Nashville, Tenn. - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation today released the first ever statewide study on the presence of human sex trafficking and its impact on children who are victimized by the criminals who run trafficking operations in Tennessee. The study is a response to a 2010 Public Chapter enacted by the General Assembly that directed the Select Committee on Children and Youth to study the problem and develop recommendations to strengthen the state’s stance against human sex trafficking.
Human sex trafficking is the slavery of women and children forced to perform various sex acts for money at a variety of locations across the state for the purpose of making money for their captors. The National Incidence Studies of Missing, Abducted, Runaway and Throwaway Children reports that one in four children who runaway from home are approached for commercial sexual exploitation within 48 hours of running away. The average age of entry into the business of sex trafficking is 13.
The TBI, with a significant contribution from the Vanderbilt Center for Community Studies, first conducted a large scale survey from law enforcement, social services agencies, state and federal prosecutors and court representatives to gather data on the level of human sex trafficking being seen in the state. Focus groups, which included participants from the same groups that were surveyed, were held across the state to generate suggestions on how to better identify victims, gaps in laws and the judicial system, and treatment options for victims. The third part of the study includes interviews with two human sex trafficking victims which serve as case studies on where victims come from and how they became victims.
Eighty-five percent of the counties stated that they have investigated at least one human sex trafficking case over the last 24 months. Seventy-two percent of the total counties in the state reported at least one case of minor human sex trafficking. There were 16 entities that reported an excess of 50 cases and eight reported over 100 cases of minor cases of human sex trafficking. The majority of respondents, 79%, say they are not adequately trained to handle human sex trafficking cases. The focus groups suggested various solutions to combat the problem including strengthening laws and imposing heavier sentences for offenders who subject their minor victims to violence and sex slavery as well as allowing victims to sue captors under civil laws for damages. The focus groups also pointed out a need for training at all levels including law enforcement, prosecutors, courts and social service agencies as well as a need for better resources and treatment for victims who are trafficked.
For a full copy of the report, go to www.tbi.tn.gov and click on “Tennessee Human Sex Trafficking and Its Impact on Children and Youth 2011” link from the homepage.
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Vague statistics
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on May 18, 2011 - 8:46pm.
I am not at all happy about any human trafficing in any place at any time, but how can the TBI report that Hamilton County has 26 - 50 such cases? In any given year there has to be a definite number of reported cases, not a range of cases. I realize the number of unreported cases is bound to be far more than the reported cases, but how can there be a range of cases? There were either 26 cases, or 27 cases, or 28 cases, etc.
Is this another example of someone using statistics to make a politicized statement? Simple facts are more compelling.


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