Story of teen victim inspires Austin council member to draft resolution to combat human trafficking
"It hurt my heart, it hurt my soul," District 6 Council Member Mackenzie Kelly said after hearing about a 16-year-old girl who was trafficked from Kansas to Austin and sexually assaulted.
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- "It hurt my heart, it hurt my soul," District 6 Council Member Mackenzie Kelly said after hearing about a 16-year-old girl who was trafficked from Kansas to Austin and sexually assaulted.
"It prompted me to wanted to act," she said, adding that the same day - she started writing a resolution aimed at addressing human trafficking from various angles.
The resolution includes, but is not limited to, the following measures:
- Robust education program for parents
- Enhanced resources for police
- Streamlined training for hotels and other commercial lodging businesses
- Establishment of safe emergency housing for victims
"A lot of times, the victims don't know they're victims," said Mike Gomez, a field training supervisor with the Texas Municipal Police Association. "Most of the time, they don't actually realize they're being trafficked."
Below is a breakdown from the National Human Trafficking hotline of the types of locations traffickers targeted sex trafficking victims in 2021 statewide.
With festival season approaching in Austin, Gomez has advice for various businesses when it comes to preventing trafficking.
"Honestly, having cameras is the best," he said. "They will stay away from cameras. They don't want their faces seen. They don't want to be seen talking to anyone."
Human trafficking involves both sex and labor trafficking. According to data from the Austin Police Department, labor trafficking has been more common in the city dating back to 2020. Statewide data shows the opposite.
In 2021, Texas passed a law requiring hotels and motels to undergo yearly human trafficking awareness training.
Council is set to vote on Kelly's resolution some time next month.
The National Human Trafficking Hotline is available 24 hours a day. The number is 1-888-373-7888.