Center for Violence Prevention will house victims advocate in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Victims of human trafficking have a newly designated advocate on their side.

The Center for Violence Prevention in Jackson extended its services to Columbus with a Rapid Response team member to work directly with trafficking victims
and local law enforcement.

The Jackson Center responds to about 200 trafficking victims a year.

Human Trafficking is the use of force, fraud, or coercion to control another person to engage in commercial sex acts or solicit labor services against someone’s will.

The Mississippi Center for Violent Prevention and its Tower program in Jackson look to provide voluntary services to identify trafficking victims.

Now, those services will be offered closer to home.

The Mississippi Center for Violent Prevention operates the state’s only long-term recovery adult program for victims of human trafficking.

While they help victims of trafficking across the state, Executive Director Sandy Middleton said the organization’s Rapid Response team will have a representative in the Columbus area.

“We will have one of these advocates in each of the highway patrol districts and so now we are excited to announce Columbus has their rapid response advocate,” said Middleton.

The advocate will help with recovering victims by offering services and case management as well as be an aid for local law enforcement.

Executive Director Sandy Middleton said sex trafficking is a relevant issue to any community.

However, there are many misconceptions about how it can take place.

“There is a misunderstanding about the relationship between active trafficking and the highways. The only thing about interstate highways is it makes it easy to move somebody from one place to the other,” said Middleton.

Many times the victims are vulnerable and are easily exploited by someone.

“That usually happens through social media. Dating apps and things like that are usually slowly brought into the world of trafficking,” said Middleton.

State Representative Dana Mclean said that over $2 million was funded last year through the legislation for human trafficking prevention.

With the passing of House Bill 995, some charges will now carry a higher load for victims.

“It is essential because now states can charge rape instead of sexual assault so changing that definition of rape from just ravishing a female of previously chases character to now making it consistent with sexual assault and sexual battery gives it more teeth and more impact,” said Mclean.

Middleton said law enforcement and human trafficking advocates working together is the key to saving victims.

The advocate has already begun work here in the Columbus area.

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