Local, state and federal officials are drawing attention to a problem that touches families in Southern California by recognizingΒ National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on Saturday Jan. 11.
The U.S. Department of Justice estimates human trafficking generates $32 billion in profits annually worldwide, according to theΒ Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce.
More than 20 million men, women and children around the world are victims of human trafficking, according to estimates distributed byΒ theΒ Administration of Children and Families, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"The United States is a source, transit and destination country for some of these men, women and children -Β both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals -Β who are subjected to the injustices of human trafficking, including forced labor, debt bondage, involuntary servitude, and sex trafficking," Children and Families officials said in a recent announcement.
The State Department is promoting an open competition for fiscal year 2014 that earns winners funding for a project to combat trafficking of persons outside the U.S. The contest was announced on October. Information is available on theirΒ website.
For more info about theΒ Riverside County Anti-Human Trafficking Taskforce visitΒ www.riversidesheriff.org/bureaus/anti-human-traffic.
In San Bernardino County, theΒ District Attorney'sΒ office offers information and support for those in need of help. They provide information on theirΒ C.A.S.E.Β unit that provides support to victims.
TheΒ FBI websiteΒ also hasΒ information aboutΒ some So CalΒ cases.
How much do you know about human trafficking? Take the Take theΒ Human Trafficking Awareness Training.
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