HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Jan. 14, 2025) – A scourge not too many people want to talk about but needs to be seen in the bright light of public scrutiny is the issue of human trafficking.
January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and through Friday, Michigan State Police Motor Carrier Officers will be joining various other law enforcement entities, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, and Truckers Against Trafficking, to educate commercial vehicle drivers about the signs of human trafficking, and to enforce laws that crack down on traffickers.
While Eddie Rabbit sang about the “truck stop cuties” in his 1980’s hit “Driving My Life Away,” human trafficking is more than just juveniles looking to hitch a ride on a rig, according to Ottawa County Prosecutor Sarah Matwiejczyk.
Human trafficking is more than just juvenile prostitution.
Truckers are asked to spot “red flags” such as lack of identity documents, the appearance of being monitored by another person, signs of branding or tattooing of a trafficker’s name, and a vehicle in a mostly male area dropping off women and picking them up about 15-20 minutes later. For the general public, signs of human trafficking are a little harder to spot, according to Matwiejczyk.
To report suspected human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resources Center at 888-373-7888 or text BeFree to 233733.
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