Starke County Prosecuting Attorney Leslie A. Baker recognized Human Trafficking Awareness Month - The Pilot News

STARKE COUNTY —  As January comes to a close, Prosecutor Leslie A. Baker wanted to take a moment to recognize Human Trafficking Awareness Month and bring attention to this very real issue that can occur in every county in Indiana. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. It is usually thought of as something that only happens in big metropolitan areas, but, in reality, human trafficking can and does happen all around Indiana. Like many crimes, this one has become more prevalent over the past few years, especially considering the pandemic. With more young people dealing with economic and home life hardships, it can become easier to get trapped into being trafficked. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline there were 10,583 reported cases in 2020, the last year data was available. But experts believe the actual number of human trafficking victims and cases is much higher than this metric. This is due, in part, because some human trafficking victims don’t believe they are victims. Trafficking takes on two main forms. The vast majority of cases (72%) are sex trafficking cases but labor trafficking also occurs. Those most vulnerable to sex trafficking in the United States are youth in the welfare or juvenile justice system, homeless youth or runaways. These victims are typically trafficked by someone they know. It is rare for trafficking victims to be randomly kidnapped and forced into trafficking. According to experts, here are some warning signs for potential trafficking when it comes to juveniles and young adults: unexplained absences, skipping school, expensive gifts that would be out of budget like designer handbags, spending a lot of time with an older person who is relatively new in their life, and having more than one phone. As your prosecutor, I want to raise awareness about the signs of trafficking and assure you that my office is doing everything in our power to prosecute these cases if and when they come to light. By raising awareness and watching out for each other, we can make sure the scourge of trafficking doesn’t visit Starke County. If you see something suspicious, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888 or local law enforcement. Leslie A. Baker Starke County Prosecutor Tags Starke County Prosecutor Leslie Baker Human Trafficking Awareness Month Human Trafficking Trafficking Crime Criminal Law Leslie A. Baker Awareness Month Victim Starke County Jamie Fleury Staff Writer Author email Follow Jamie Fleury Recommended for you Latest News Paramount completes its takeover of Warner Bros to become one Hollywood giant known as Skydance Asst. Professor Ringenberg publishes first book: “Garret the Wandering Goose” Patrolman Schieber and K9 Kyzer visits Plymouth Public Library On cusp of merger, 'Digger bombs for Warner Bros., 'Verity' takes No. 1 at box office Bremen Town Council hears from Baker Tilly CBS announces Tony Romo's permanent exit following arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated Rapper Rick Ross stands charged with battery after a woman alleges domestic violence Donor revives fraud claims against Christian worship leader Sean Feucht over a $250,000 donation Most Popular Articles Images Videos Commented Articles Bremen Town Council hears from Baker Tilly Brooke Kitch named 2027 Junior Miss of Triton Community Corner - Ryan Calhoun Asst. Professor Ringenberg publishes first book: “Garret the Wandering Goose” Bremen celebrates Oktoberfest Two arrested for theft at King Gyro’s, business owners encouraged to contact PPD with information of footage of thefts from their business CBS announces Tony Romo's permanent exit following arrest for operating a vehicle while intoxicated Upcoming projects discussed during Marshall County Park Board Triton Gives Back 2026 Donor revives fraud claims against Christian worship leader Sean Feucht over a $250,000 donation Images Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Commented Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles.