January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. As of June 30, 2018, North Carolina reported 14,117 calls and 5,147 human trafficking case. Attorney General Josh Stein noted that North Carolina had 258 reported cases of human trafficking in 2017. In 2016, The National Human Trafficking Hotline reported 182 cases in 2016 and North Carolina was ranked 10th in reported human trafficking cases.
California, Texas, and New York are the three states with the highest human trafficking activity. California cities Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco are 3 of the 10 worst child sex trafficking areas.
On January 17, 2018 the Fayetteville Observer reported that “more than half of all human trafficking cases filed in state court during the last fiscal year occurred in Cumberland County”. The article explores how the proximity to Interstate 95 and Fort Liberty, in addition to the opioid crisis, makes Cumberland County more vulnerable to this type of crime. The reported numbers involving victims also reflects the diligent police work that is happening in Cumberland County, according to the article. Pitt, Forsyth, Wake, Johnston, Nash, Wilson, Brunswick, New Hanover, Pender, Onslow and Craven are the other counties listed for having human trafficking cases within the recorded year.
