Austin News

Human trafficking cases in Texas continue to rise and reports indicate that arrests increased 251% last year. The COVID-19 pandemic did not hinder the industry but presented even more challenges.

A report by KRLD News Radio showed that human trafficking arrests increased 251% last year; and its Homeland Security Investigation identified 185% more victims. The human trafficking industry was a $150 billion industry last year, it reported.

During the pandemic, an increase in online sexual exploitation was also reported.

“The number of cases identified in Texas by the National Human Trafficking Hotline continues to rise each year. In 2019, the hotline identified 1,080 cases, which can involve multiple victims,” Nikki Pressley, policy analyst for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, told Austin News.

A surge in online exploitation was reported during the pandemic, she said.

“Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought new challenges and we have seen a significant increase in online sexual exploitation. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children saw a 98% increase in online enticement reports from January-September.”

The most prevalent forms of human trafficking in the state have been sex trafficking, which is more commonly reported, but labor trafficking is also a prevalent issue, Pressley said.

“In Texas, sex trafficking is the most common form that is reported and identified. However, labor trafficking is also extremely prevalent – it’s estimated there are about 234,000 victims of labor trafficking in Texas,” Pressley said. “There is less attention on this form of trafficking, and it can take many forms so it’s more difficult to identify. In some cases, such as illicit massage businesses, there can be a combination of sex and labor trafficking.”

She pointed out that a 2017 study found in the city of Houston alone there were approximately 2,800 customers each day at illicit massage businesses, and the industry yields an annual gross revenue of $107 million.

When asked what can be done to combat trafficking, Pressley said “with a complex problem comes complex solutions.”

“Combatting human trafficking is a coordinated effort that involves many stakeholders. The Human Trafficking Prevention Coordinating Council recognizes five key strategies to ending human trafficking in Texas: partner, prevent, protect, prosecute and provide support (TXHTPCC). I believe preventing the common vulnerabilities that can lead to human trafficking, such as entry into foster care or juvenile justice involvement, are extremely important.”

Pressley pointed out education on identifying trafficking is important and in the state there are various organizations that exist to combat trafficking.

“One step we can all take is educating ourselves on how to identify the signs of sex and labor trafficking. If people want to take it a step further, there are several coalitions throughout the state made up of great nonprofit organizations to get involved with,” she said. 

These include the Central Texas Coalition and the North Texas Coalition.

For those who are survivors of human trafficking, there are carry-on effects in society

“At the micro-level, survivors of human trafficking have undergone significant trauma. While traffickers and survivor experiences might follow similar patterns, each situation is unique and can lead to a variety of outcomes,” Pressley said.

“Survivors who were sex trafficked as juveniles show common themes of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, emotion-regulation issues such as aggression and hostility, Stockholm syndrome, and memory loss. It’s difficult to really point to specific effects in society because this crime is so diverse and complex in nature – it can range from an advanced network of organized crime to one family member trafficking another family member,” Pressley said, referencing her May 2020 report.

Expanding the jurisdiction of the State Attorney General Ken Paxton’s would help in the prosecution of trafficking cases, Pressley believes.

“I do believe expanding the attorney general’s jurisdiction would increase our ability to prosecute trafficking cases. With the prevalence and complexity of human trafficking, I think we should try our best to remove any barriers that are currently in the way of pursuing prosecution,” Pressley said.