SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The annual Kick-Off to Anti-Human Trafficking Month brought together leaders from multiple Bay Area counties.
“San Francisco will not look the other way. Instead, we will coordinate across law enforcement, social services, and community partners, not in silos – not after the fact, but in real-time,” said San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie.
With less than a month away from Super Bowl 60 followed by the FIFA World Cup in June, the “San Francisco Collaborative Against Human Trafficking” kicked off Anti-Human Trafficking Month focused on these large sporting events happening in the Bay Area.
“We are working with NFL to provide a total of $200,000 in grant funds to help three of our Bay Area’s key anti trafficking nonprofits to bolster their ongoing efforts,” said Zaileen Jammohamed with the Bay Area Host Committee.
Several studies, including this one published in ‘the anti-trafficking review’ show there is little to no evidence that the Super Bowl brings an increase to sex trafficking. But nonprofits and law enforcement say the issue needs to be addressed regardless of the occurrence of big sporting events.
MORE: ICE to conduct immigration enforcement at Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium, official says
“Unfortunately, these victims are held captive and hostage without really any contact with the outside world, and they are placed in fear that if they say anything there will be harm to them and their families,” said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.
San Francisco, Santa Clara, and Marin County DAs confirmed their offices will be collaborating throughout the region, highlighting that human trafficking goes beyond county borders.
“We have increased the number of prosecutors and investigators that are combating human tracking, and we actually have briefings coming up in the next few weeks from our federal partners about what kind of criminal trends we can expect to see with the coming of the Super Bowl and FIFA,” said Santa Clara District Attorney Jeff Rosen.
Multiple Bay Area airports are having their staff train to detect the signs of human trafficking as more travelers are expected in this region.
“At airport environments some of those red flags might be somebody who doesn’t seem to know where they are and seem disoriented, they are not allowed by their companion to speak to anyone in the airport like TSA or the airline counter,” said Erika Keaveney, Freedom Insight’s Executive Director.
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