Attorney General Josh Stein and the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission Unveil Human Trafficking Awareness Signs

RALEIGH, NC (March 21, 2018)…Attorney General Josh Stein and North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission (NCHTC) Chair Libby Magee Coles today announced the design and distribution of human trafficking signs to raise awareness about the prevalence of human trafficking in North Carolina. The awareness signs will be displayed at transportation centers, rest areas, welcome centers, job centers, ABC-licensed locations, and emergency rooms across the state.

“Human trafficking is a heinous but poorly understood crime,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “These signs will let victims know there is help on the other end of a phone call and help educate the public so we can look for the telltale signs of trafficking and take steps to end human trafficking in North Carolina.”

North Carolina has one of the top 10 highest reported rates of human trafficking in the country. However, cases of human trafficking are under-reported because people don’t recognize the crime in their communities and victims don’t believe there is help. The signs will help people in North Carolina better identify possible incidents of human trafficking and report tips. Victims of human trafficking will also be able to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline via phone or online to find information and resources to get out of a trafficking situation.

In 2017, the National Human Trafficking Hotline received more than 900 calls from North Carolina. There were 258 human trafficking cases brought by law enforcement and more than 1,200 victims and survivors identified in our state last year.

Attorney General Stein and NCHTC Chair Coles were joined by NC Department of Public Safety Chief Deputy Secretary Pam Cashwell, SBI Director Robert Schurmeier, SBI Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch Head Terrance Merriweather, NC Alcohol Beverage Control Commissioner Zander Guy, NC State Highway Patrol Lt. Colonel Vic Ward, and Southeast Director for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Darrell Ruban.

The signs were designed and will be distributed by the North Carolina Department of Justice and the NCHTC as part of a law passed by the North Carolina General Assembly (SL 2017-57). English and Spanish versions of the sign are available for download at http://ncdoj.gov/nchtc.