Campaign will mobilize citizens, law enforcement, community leaders to recognize and report the signs of human trafficking
Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron recently announced his Office of Trafficking and Abuse Prevention and Prosecution (TAPP) launched a statewide human trafficking awareness and training campaign titled “Your Eyes Save Lives.”
The campaign combats human trafficking by raising awareness of the signs of human trafficking, and it empowers citizens, law enforcement, and community leaders to report suspected trafficking.
According to a release from Cameron’s office, 136 cases of human trafficking from Kentucky were reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline last year, and the Commonwealth’s Cabinet for Health and Family services reported 206 incidences of human trafficking against a minor.
“Human trafficking is happening in our communities, but it is often unreported or underreported because of lack of awareness, misidentification, and stigma,” Cameron said in a release. “Our hope is that the Your Eyes Save Lives campaign will change that.”
The statewide media campaign, launched on National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and during National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, utilizes traditional and digital communication platforms like billboards, social media, radio, and print publications to reach citizens in all 120 Kentucky counties.
The campaign targets regions at an increased risk for human trafficking, and it aims to shatter victim stereotypes and raise awareness about the signs of trafficking and reporting methods.
The campaign will also include resources to assist community educators, law enforcement officers, and faith-based leaders in recognizing the signs of human trafficking.
Funded by a grant from the Department of Justice’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), the initiative compliments the passage of House Bill 2 by the General Assembly during the 2020 Legislative session, which armed the Attorney General’s office with new ways to crack down on human trafficking.
The new law, which took effect on July 15, 2020, makes it easier for the Attorney General to prosecute traffickers and aids the office in raising awareness about human trafficking by requiring airports, truck stops, bus stations, and train stations to post signs displaying the National Human Trafficking Hotline number.
“This program is an incredible tool in our fight against human trafficking,” said House Majority Caucus Chair Suzanne Miles, who sponsored HB 2. “We know that education and information build community awareness, and I appreciate the Attorney General and his staff for their work on this issue and commitment to seeing HB 2 implemented.”
Learn more about the campaign by visiting YourEyesSaveLives.ky.gov.
