Dear Friend,
This Sunday afternoon, February 27, at 2:00 p.m., I will be speaking at the Traffick911 rally in Mansfield, Texas to raise awareness about human trafficking in Texas – an issue I have been a leader on since I came to Congress.
In a border state like ours, potential trafficking victims are more vulnerable to getting pulled into this terrible industry. North Texas has been identified as a key hub for traffickers moving victims through the I-35 corridor. Our law enforcement has done an incredible job combating this horrific crime, but more can be done. In the lead-up to the Super Bowl, the Fort Worth police department worked closely with the Arlington and Dallas police departments to develop a prevention strategy, but also made a significant number of arrests in all three communities during the event.
As co-chair of the Congressional Human Trafficking Caucus, I introduced a resolution last summer highlighting the increase in human trafficking crimes during major sporting events like the Super Bowl. During the 2010 World Cup, for example, it was estimated that 38,000 human trafficking victims were brought into South Africa.
We cannot solely rely on law enforcement to combat human trafficking. This is a crime that has the potential to affect our neighbors, friends and loved ones. It is up to all of us to understand this problem so we can be a part of the solution. .
Sincerely,
Kay Granger