Human trafficking, otherwise known as modern-day slavery. Those words represent a scourge that has troubled the world for generations. Representing a multitude of crimes and societal ills, few terms instill as much fear in families across Miami Valley than they do. While what for many is simply a nightmare relegated to TV dramas, to others those fears are played out on a regular basis in hotel rooms, boulevards, and alleyways around the Gem City.
Some members of the public choose to look away and forget, seeking comfort in their daily lives. For others, the fight against human trafficking is their life. Even by those standards, the men and women of Miami Valley’s Human Trafficking Task Force are exemplary.
Captain Terry Ables, who oversees the taskforce said, “The importance of this issue is what drives us as well as getting justice for the families and victims. Who’s looking out for them if we’re not?”
If you believe someone is a victim of human trafficking, call the hotline at 937-225-4357. Photo Credit: Ismael David Mujahid
His sentiment is one shared in agencies across the country as statistics show human trafficking related crime growing. According to the Department of Justice, trafficking in persons occurs in every state and US dependents such as Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Data from the department’s Bureau of Justice shows a doubling in the number of prosecutions for human trafficking between 2011 and 2021.
Yet just as the number of crimes have gone up gone up so has the efforts to curb them. Persons referred to US attorneys for trafficking violations was also 49 percent higher at the end of the 2021 fiscal year than it was a decade earlier.
More prosecutions are being seen in Ohio as well. A report from the state’s attorney general shows that 55 people were prosecuted for human trafficking in 2022 with 26 successful convictions. Over 160 victims were identified. Sergeant Josh Walters, who leads the taskforce, puts the crimes and its victims into greater focus.
“Last year we received 398 complaints related to trafficking. Of that number about 70% were investigated, whether they were closed within an hour or in six months. That’s about 300 cases where victims were helped someway, somehow,” said Walters.
“We wish it could happen a lot more than it has happened at this point,” said Ables.
It is that overarching goal that led to the agency’s creation in 2022. A mandate to do more for victims, their families, and combat one of the most insidious types of crime imaginable.
“These are long, exhausting cases. It is not unusual for them to last months and sometimes even years. They’re definitely complex and can be frustrating,” said Ables.
But when brought to a successful end, few feelings can rival it. Whether that be reuniting a young girl with her family or a successful prosecution, it is an emotion Walters likens to winning the Powerball. He gives the case of one Daytonian as an example.
Captain Terry Ables oversees the taskforce.
“She was believed to be in another state being sex trafficked,” Walters said. “The case investigator swore she would find her. It was a non-stop search, every day. Almost a year to the day she found her in Detroit Michigan, posted online. The amount of joy, spending a year straight hoping to find that one girl…I can’t explain the excitement.”
Imagine searching for a girl, not knowing whether she is alive, assuring loved ones that you’re looking, and being able to reunite them in the end. It’s no wonder that human trafficking is one of the most emotionally demanding beats an officer can cover.
“Some of these cases are pretty violent and emotional. We make sure to monitor cases that involve things that regular people would have trouble coping with,” Walters said.
To help protect the health of the taskforce, a number of measures are in place to help its members cope with the difficult nature of their job. Such programs include therapy, debriefing sessions, and a peer support system among others.
For years, PSAs and other ways of raising awareness have helped spread the word about human trafficking. The Sheriff’s Office, strong believers in education, have done their part to teach the public as well. Yet there remains plenty average citizens can do to help.
“What we ask of the public is that if you see someone that looks to be controlled against their will or a person that is in a situation where they don’t feel comfortable then say something. Call us with your concerns,” said Walters.
Physical signs mentioned by the task force captain include signs of physical violence, malnutrition, and exhaustion. Victims sometimes will show signs of untreated medical conditions and can even bear marks or tattoos that link them to a specific trafficker.
“Oftentimes there will be someone with them making decisions on their behalf. They might have physical signs that they’ve been on the street for awhile and are being forced to do things to financially benefit someone else,” said Walters.
Sergeant Josh Walters heads the team combatting human trafficking in the Miami Valley. Photo Credit: Ismael David Mujahid
The violence victims are subjected to comes later in the grooming process. Poverty-stricken homes and runaways are preyed upon with false hopes, promises, and dreams.
Ables said, “A lot of runaways and homeless youth are targeted. Traffickers will give them false hope or tell them that they can provide whatever it is they aren’t getting at home.”
“Every young kid wants a new iPhone, every kid wants designer clothes. So at the beginning of the grooming process all those things are given to the youth. The new cellphones, the new jeans, the new shoes-all that kind of stuff,” said Walters.
The grooming process, the sergeant explained, begins by giving the victim everything they want. As soon as traffickers are assured of their loyalty, they begin profiting off the victim be it through forced labor or prostitution. It is a hellish life only the collective work of the public and law enforcement can put an end to.
Ables said, “We have hotlines and a 24/7 dispatch center where they can call and ask for a marked car to check something out. I think a lot of people are hesitant to get involved or think ‘its probably nothing’. But if you see something that doesn’t look right, its ok to call and have it checked out.”
The taskforce’s message is clear: trust your gut and reach out if you think something is wrong. It might be the one thing that saves a life.
Tips and concerns can be shared with the Sheriff Office’s Regional Dispatch Center at (937)-225-4357(HELP). Any information related to human trafficking will be shared with Miami Valley’s Human Trafficking Task Force
Ismael David Mujahid, Executive Editor