West Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- The state's South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force discussed their progress Friday and took a look back at their year in order to move forward with new goals for 2019.
"We knew it was an issue, but we didn't know how big the issue was and it's way bigger than we thought, four seniors from River Bluff High School said.
A few River Bluff High School students took an interest in the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force as the state agency discussed what they learned from this past year.
"We've learned that human trafficking doesn't discriminate and it effects everyone. We've also learned that it's a very big topic in the areas where it take place," those students said. "We never really thought that, I don't think anyone ever thinks that it's happening in our state and we really found out that it is."
Attorney General Alan Wilson said it takes not just one group to fight human trafficking, but our state is continuing to work harder every year to do so. Some goals he wants to focus on are adding more shelters for victims and helping them get back on their feet.
"How do you take a victim and help them transition into survivor of human trafficking? It's a mind set, so it's not just eradicating the crime, but what do you do with the people who have had to live with it or live through it, how do you get them reacclimated to society," Wilson said.
Wilson said SC is the most improved state in the country combating human trafficking. In the 2017 annual report the National Human Trafficking hot line shared the top 5 locations with the most calls received on human trafficking. Greenville, Charleston, Beaufort, Horry, and Richland Counties ranked the highest.
Some of the force's priorities this year were focusing on law enforcement education and raising community awareness. But as for the younger generation they say they do see a problem digitally.
"I think that is something that people especially in high school don't really recognize that they could be put in a position that is dangerous on social media and so I think there needs to be more awareness brought to the role that social media plays in human trafficking," those students said.
On January 11 Human Trafficking Awareness Day, the task force will release their 2018 annual report and discuss their high lights from the past year.