Houston Republic

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on May 6 released the first phase of a five-year strategic plan to stop and prevent human trafficking in Texas. 

Paxton’s office is leading the Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinating Council, which will focus on coordinating efforts to beat those who prey on other individuals in sex trafficking or labor trafficking.

“Human trafficking is a horrific crime that targets vulnerable men, women, and children in our communities," Paxton said. "Fortunately, Texas is a national leader in prosecuting offenders and assisting victims. Through the strategic planning and coordination of the Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinating Council, Texas is now in an even better position to eradicate the intolerable crime of modern-day slavery. I commend our legislature for passing laws to fight this inexcusable offense, and I applaud the dedicated efforts of state agencies as we take this fight to the traffickers’ doorsteps.”

The council includes representatives of the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Governor, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Workforce Commission, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. There are four types of trafficking: adult sex or labor trafficking, and child sex or labor trafficking.

In 2018 there were 2,108 human trafficking victims in Texas, 701 traffickers,and 399 trafficking businesses, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. There were 719 sex trafficking cases, 118 labor trafficking cases, 89 sex and labor trafficking cases and 74 unspecified human trafficking cases.

The plan outlines eight recommendations to boost Texas’ efforts to stop human trafficking:

• Increase public awareness with consistent messaging.
• Free, evidence-based trainings across all disciplines.
• Increased funding to support innovative strategies and build capacity.
• Promote successful programs and service providers.
• Expand resources, training, and Office of the Attorney General prosecution to rural areas.
• Continue multidisciplinary collaboration statewide.
• Promote victim-centered criminal justice.
• Utilize survivor voice for support and best practices.

It also outlines recommendations to coordinate state efforts:

• Increased communication with stakeholder meetings and webinars.
• Utilize children’s advocacy centers and multidisciplinary teams.
• Statewide database.
• Create state-funded task forces.
• Establish an umbrella agency to oversee efforts.
• Utilize coordinating council and statewide task force to lead efforts.
• Partner with federal agencies.
• Provide wider public outreach.

In the first phase, the goal is to develop and distribute a survey to create an inventory of programs and services dedicated to human trafficking, to identify practices that are evidence-based, evidence-informed and promising to mitigate human trafficking, to identify the gaps and redundancies in services, and to gather the financial data for the current state expenditures dedicated to human trafficking in the state.

In the second phase of the plan, stakeholders will focus on program collaboration, data collection and coordination of funding and partnerships.

To read the plan, visit https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/admin/2020/Press/TXHTPCC-%20Strategic%20Plan%202020.pdf