January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. This year is also the 20-year anniversary of the passage of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA).
As a major port city, in close proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, Houston has been called ground zero for the illegal trade of human beings. Interstate 10, one of the longest transportation arteries in the country, runs through the heart of the city, thereby facilitating the illicit flow of human traffic into and out of the area. Houston’s diverse population, made up of people from all over the world, including, notably, Asia and Latin America, makes it easier for international trafficking victims from these regions to go unnoticed when forced into domestic servitude, food service, or other coerced labor.
In recognition of National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on January 11, 2020, the Harris County Law Library has assembled the following list of resources. Included are a selection of websites for local government initiatives in Harris County, along with the City of Houston’s strategic plan, and additional resources for victims of human trafficking, such as Crime Stoppers and the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
Harris County and the Harris County Attorney’s Office
County Attorney Ryan Encourages Awareness of Revised Sexually Oriented Regulations (January 4, 2019)
County Attorney Ryan, Children at Risk Collaborate on Human Trafficking Project Awesome (January 27, 2017)
Harris County Constable Precinct 7: Domestic Violence & Human Trafficking
City of Houston
City of Houston Anti-Human Trafficking Initiative
National Resources
Children at Risk: Human Trafficking – Center to End the Trafficking & Exploitation of Children (CETEC)