ASSIST Indiana is part of the Johnson County Human Trafficking Task Force along with a number of other agencies, organizations and law enforcement departments. The task force is holding educational programs in January to help inform people about human trafficking in the community.
RYAN TRARES | DAILY JOURNAL
Hidden in the shadows, human trafficking continues to destroy lives, even in Johnson County.
To combat an issue that too often is not seen, a group of local agencies and organizations are offering educational programs to make area residents more aware of the warning signs, vulnerable populations and what to do if you suspect someone of being a victim.
The Johnson County Human Trafficking Task Force — a community-wide collaboration aimed at equipping the county to identify and respond to human trafficking — has planned presentations on Jan 19, 20 and 25 to spread information about the problem.
As part of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, the hope is to open people’s eyes and strengthen the effort to end trafficking.
“The biggest goal is to let people know what’s going on and how to help, and hopefully end it,” said Jill Gonterman, trauma counselor for ASSIST Indiana and a member of the task force. “When you have more awareness of what’s around you, you’re more likely to identify and help somebody.”
Every year since 2010, January has been designated as Human Trafficking Awareness Month to shine a spotlight on the issue and educate the public about how to identify and prevent this crime.
There are estimated to be more than 24.9 million people — adults and children — subjected to human trafficking around the world, including in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of State.
Statistics for the extent of trafficking are difficult to pin down, but according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, Indiana received 467 signals to the hotline in 2021. The hotline received 537 signals in 2020, including 189 calls from victims or survivors of human trafficking.
“It’s a bigger problem than people think it is, particularly with youth, who are a vulnerable target to get involved in it,” Gonterman said. “It’s more prominent than people want to believe.”
The Johnson County Human Trafficking Task Force was formed in 2021 as a way to give service providers, law enforcement, educators, healthcare providers and community members the tools necessary to increase identification of and strengthen appropriate services for human trafficking in our community.
Around 20 different organizations and agencies are currently part of the task force, ranging from law enforcement such as the Johnson County Sheriff’s Department and police departments in Franklin and Greenwood to service providers such as KIC-IT, Youth Connections and ASSIST Indiana.
“It’s a lot of people who are more likely to interact with human trafficking,” Gonterman said. “The goal of the task force is to get education and awareness out to communities so that people know what human trafficking is, rather than what they might have seen on TV or other places.”
The educational presentations are some of the task force’s most visible activities. The programs, which are free and open to the public, will provide information about what human trafficking looks like locally, red flags and risk factors, who the county’s most vulnerable populations are and what to do if you feel someone is a victim of human trafficking.
“Our awareness events that we’re doing are all about that education piece. They’re open to people who may work with youth, or just community members who want to know more about it,” Gonterman said.
