Task force chair talks about perceptions and realities of trafficking in north Alabama
CULLMAN, Ala. – Just a few weeks into its release, independent film “Sound of Freedom” has grossed almost $150 million, 10 times more than its budget, presenting what filmmakers say is an insider’s view of efforts to combat human trafficking. The film’s focus is specific – Latin American child sex trafficking – but it is bringing new attention to the list of crimes under the umbrella of human trafficking, which takes far more forms.
- Sex trafficking: According to former Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force Chairperson Kathy Wilson, “Sex trafficking occurs when someone uses force, fraud or coercion to cause a sex act with an adult or causes a minor to commit a commercial sex act. A commercial sex act includes prostitution, pornography and sexual acts done in exchange for any item of value, such as money, drugs, shelter, food or clothes.” Victims are occasionally abducted, as portrayed in movies like “Sound of Freedom” and “Taken,” but are more often recruited with tempting but false offers.
- Labor trafficking: Wilson told The Tribune, “Labor trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery in which individuals perform labor or services through the use of force, fraud or coercion. Labor trafficking includes debt bondage (requiring a person to work for the trafficker to pay off debts), forced labor and involuntary child labor.” Victims are often made to work excessive hours with little or no pay, under unsafe or unhealthy conditions, subjected to unfair and illegal labor practices.
According to the 2012 Code of Alabama, a person commits first-degree human trafficking if:
- “He or she knowingly subjects another person to labor servitude or sexual servitude through use of coercion or deception.”
- “He or she knowingly obtains, recruits, entices, solicits, induces, threatens, isolates, harbors, holds, restrains, transports, provides, or maintains any minor for the purpose of causing a minor to engage in sexual servitude.”
A person commits second-degree human trafficking if:
- “A person knowingly benefits, financially or by receiving anything of value, from participation in a venture or engagement for the purpose of sexual servitude or labor servitude.”
- “A person knowingly recruits, entices, solicits, induces, harbors, transports, holds, restrains, provides, maintains, subjects, or obtains by any means another person for the purpose of labor servitude or sexual servitude.”
Human trafficking in north Alabama
The Tribune asked current task force chairperson Ashley Dover about the role Cullman County and north Alabama play in the underground trafficking industry.
The movies make a lot of kidnappings and international shipping of kids, but what does trafficking look like in north Alabama?
Dover said, “It looks a lot different than what we see on the movies; you’ll see more of that type of human trafficking in places around border towns and bigger cities or ‘hubs.’ What we see a lot of here is child pornography and exploitation of that material, which falls under the umbrella of human trafficking. We also see children being sold to drug dealers so parents can get their ‘fix.’”
In Cullman County, sex trafficking has been the issue in three cases.
- An already-registered male sex offender from rural Cullman County was arrested for first-degree human trafficking and solicitation of a minor, allegedly offering drugs in exchange for sex. Following a plea to one of his lesser charges, the trafficking charge was dropped and he was released following a lengthy pretrial incarceration.
- A Vinemont woman was arrested for first-degree human trafficking for bringing a runaway girl from Ohio to Alabama for sexual purposes. She pled guilty to the trafficking charge and was imprisoned for a short time. Following her release, she failed to update her sex offender registration and was returned to state prison.
- A Cullman man awaits trial in one first-degree and multiple second-degree trafficking charges. He is alleged to have demanded sex acts in lieu of rent from female tenants.
What role does north Alabama play in the trafficking industry?
“Alabama, as a whole, is statistically ranked on the lower end of human trafficking cases, but we can’t get complacent or let our guards down because of that. The stretch of I-20 between Atlanta, Georgia, and Birmingham, Alabama, has the title of being the ‘Sex Trafficking Highway.’”
What do task forces do to combat trafficking? What does Cullman’s task force do?
“Different task forces have the ability to fight against human trafficking in different ways. For example, there is a task force through the United States Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Alabama, that has the following goals:
- Prevent, identify, investigate, disrupt and prosecute human trafficking crimes
- Dismantle any criminal organization that promotes or participates in the commission of human trafficking crime
- Promote a coordinated approach to the provision of services for victims of human trafficking at the federal, state and local levels, and so on
“(The) Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force is here to provide the community information, education, resources and ways to prevent human trafficking not just in our community, but to spread the word throughout surrounding counties as well. We are solely a volunteer task force and we meet quarterly to discuss ways to further combat human trafficking in all forms and learn ways to better prevent these crimes from happening in our community and to our citizens. We can speak at local schools, businesses and really anywhere there is a need. We couldn’t have the task force without the help of all the people that so graciously volunteer their time to these meetings and helping to spread the word.
“Judge Chad Floyd is a pillar to our task force , along with our local DHR, Victim Services, Cullman school board(s), city police and county police. Investigator Intae Suh with the Cullman Police Department and Deputy Brandi Suh with the Cullman (County) Sheriff’s Office have also been pillars in the task force. Alex Hill from A21, a global human trafficking education, prevention and rescue effort, has come alongside us at the task force with resources, education material and just a general knowledge that has helped us tremendously.”
How can folks support the task force’s efforts? How can they get involved locally?
“We welcome everyone in the community to come to the quarterly meetings. They are usually held on a Wednesday at noon at the Cullman County Courthouse; you can join our Facebook page at Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force to keep up with the meeting dates, community information, arrests and general education surrounding human trafficking. I highly implore parents and teachers to get involved because our children are at the highest risk, certainly with their access to social media, online games, chats and so on.”
What should a person do if they suspect they have encountered a trafficked person?
“This always depends on the situation. If it is a child or someone you know personally, immediately call local police but do not try to engage the suspect or victim because you will not only possibly put them in more danger but yourself as well. Make sure you get an address or tag number, if possible. If it’s a suspected labor trafficking ring or situation, call the National Human Trafficking hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text at 233733, or federal law enforcement at 1-866-347-2423.
“If you’re unsure the safest bet is always to call anyway because signs of human trafficking can vary from victim to victim. It will never look exactly the same.”
Dover told The Tribune, “I believe it is of the utmost importance for every community, including ours, to be made aware and educate themselves on human trafficking as a whole. Thankfully we live in a community that is safer than most, but human trafficking still happens here, but it looks different than what you might see happening in bigger cities and overseas. Human trafficking is real and happening all over; it’s the second most profitable criminal activity in the United States because people can be sold over and over again, unlike drugs and weapons.”
Find out more about the Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force on Facebook at Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force.
