Conference held on human trafficking in Tennessee

JACKSON, Tenn. — According to the State of Tennessee, human trafficking is the second-fastest growing criminal industry, just behind drug trafficking. The average age? Only 13 years old.

“West Tennessee has a prevalence of human trafficking moving through West Tennessee,” said University of Memphis Lambuth Campus professor Sheri Jenkins Keenan.

At the University of Memphis Lambuth Campus Wednesday, hundreds of people learned what human trafficking looks like.

“A lot of people say, ‘She’s just a prostitute.’ That’s not necessarily the case. She, in fact, could be being exploited in that position,” Keenan said.

Shared Hope International gave Tennessee the highest grade in the country when it comes to fighting human trafficking.

The undercover Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent who spoke said that it is because law enforcement works with other agencies to spot and stop it.

“We are arming nurses, emergency rooms, social workers, homeless shelters, churches [and] law enforcement to be able to spot human trafficking then to be able to know what agencies to go to once they’ve identified it, to get those individuals help,” Keenan said.

The State of Tennessee says, on average, every two minutes a child is bought or sold for sex in the U.S.

“We hope to reduce human trafficking and victims of human trafficking and those who are vulnerable to human trafficking. Knowing those warning signs and maybe putting some things in place with adverse childhood experiences and removing those so they do not become victims of human trafficking,” Keenan said.

If you suspect someone may be victim of human trafficking, call the Tennessee Human Trafficking hotline at 1-855-55-86484.