COLUMBIA, S.C. — During a press conference at the South Carolina Statehouse, the state Attorney General Alan Wilson released the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force’s 2020 Annual Report showing a change in the top five counties reporting the crime.
The report also details the efforts of the State Task Force members to assist victims, prosecute traffickers, and prevent human trafficking from happening in our state. Leadership from state agencies, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) , and the State Legislature shared in the report’s release.
According to the report, the top five counties for reported human trafficking to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in South Carolina -- in order -- are Horry County (for the second year) Charleston, Greenville, Richland, and Anderson counties.
Dorchester County dropped out of the top five in this year’s report.
Being in the top five doesn’t necessarily mean those counties have the most human trafficking, Wilson said. Counties with active regional human trafficking task forces have raised awareness about the crime and how to report it, so being one of the top counties could be because it’s reported more, not because it’s happening there more.
There were 139 cases of human trafficking reported in this year’s annual report. AG Wilson also reported 179 victim cases through the hotline alone.
“The State Task Force continues its efforts, in collaboration with regional task forces across the state, to raise awareness of the National Human Trafficking Hotline number so victims can reach out for help and community members can report suspected incidents,” said Attorney General Wilson. “We thank members across the state for their determination and hard work in combatting this heinous crime.”
Wilson also announced new partnerships with the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services (DAODAS). Both agencies will be represented on a new State Task Force Advisory Council that was launched in 2020. Additionally, Department of Social Services (DSS) Director Michael Leach spoke to his department’s efforts to respond to minor victims of both sex and labor trafficking during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also shared efforts to further educate DSS staff across the state in 2021 to better ensure the identification of potential victims.
First Lady of South Carolina Peggy McMaster shared the Governor’s Proclamation declaring January Human Trafficking Awareness Month in South Carolina. She thanked the public for their continued efforts to spread awareness and remains committed to helping raise awareness about the crime while encouraging more people to get involved in the anti-human trafficking movement.
For more information on the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force and to read the 2020 Annual Report, please visit humantrafficking.scag.gov or www.scag.gov
