More than 100 trafficking victims, including dozens of missing children, have been rescued during a large-scale operation in Ohio, USA. The public prosecutor announced this in a statement today.
As part of the Autumn Hope police operation, involving several police forces, 179 people have been arrested. 22 of them, including a pastor, have been charged with having sex with a minor. 76 of the 109 victims turned out to be children. After their liberation, they were received by social authorities.
"These predators shamelessly take down the most innocent and defenseless members of our community," said Dallas Baldwin, the Sheriff of Franklin County, Ohio. "Operation Autumn Hope sends a clear message: we are watching you, we will protect our children."
Modern slavery
An estimated 400,000 people in the US are entangled in some form of modern slavery, such as sex work or forced labor, human rights organization Walk Free Foundation reports. In addition, it is feared that the corona pandemic will contribute to an increase in human trafficking.
In the month after lockdown measures were introduced, more and more people sought emergency shelters to escape human traffickers, action group Polaris said earlier this year. The economic and social damage caused by the pandemic creates conditions in which people more easily fall prey to human trafficking.
According to the Walk Free Foundation, some 20 million people worldwide are victims of forced labor, 4.8 million of them forced into sex work.
As part of the Autumn Hope police operation, involving several police forces, 179 people have been arrested. 22 of them, including a pastor, have been charged with having sex with a minor. 76 of the 109 victims turned out to be children. After their liberation, they were received by social authorities.
"These predators shamelessly take down the most innocent and defenseless members of our community," said Dallas Baldwin, the Sheriff of Franklin County, Ohio. "Operation Autumn Hope sends a clear message: we are watching you, we will protect our children."
Modern slavery
An estimated 400,000 people in the US are entangled in some form of modern slavery, such as sex work or forced labor, human rights organization Walk Free Foundation reports. In addition, it is feared that the corona pandemic will contribute to an increase in human trafficking.
In the month after lockdown measures were introduced, more and more people sought emergency shelters to escape human traffickers, action group Polaris said earlier this year. The economic and social damage caused by the pandemic creates conditions in which people more easily fall prey to human trafficking.
According to the Walk Free Foundation, some 20 million people worldwide are victims of forced labor, 4.8 million of them forced into sex work.
