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A digital billboard on I-75 near Stanley Avenue will display the public awareness message more than a thousand times a day, the advertisement features a young girl’s face with a message reading “sold for sex in Ohio.”

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Between July 2013 and March 2014 their was 51 children who were classified as trafficking victims

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Colbert said the Interstate 70 and Interstate 75 interchange puts the Miami Valley in a prime spot for human trafficking.
A group of people have joined forces to introduce a public awareness campaign that will be visible on two billboards in Montgomery County this summer, including one on I-75.

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More than 1,000 Ohio children are victims of human trafficking annually and 3,000 more are at-risk of becoming victims in one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the world, experts say.

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Statewide search for human trafficking (4D)

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Statewide search for human trafficking (4D)

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By 2016, Ohio identity at least 151 human trafficking cases , and at least 70 minors. Johnson told Fox 45 that awareness and arrests are only part of the solution.

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Statewide search form human trafficking(2D)

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Statewide search form human trafficking(2D)

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In September 2017, multiple agencies including the Ohio Investigative Unit and Montgomery County R.A.N.G.E. Task Force raided three Dayton-area businesses: The Harem, The Living Room and Sharkey's.

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Statewide search for human trafficking (3D)

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Statewide search for human trafficking (3D)

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After a year-long investigation, the establishment was slapped with a 23-count indictment in 2017. That case also saw charges of drug trafficking and previous prostitution by employees.

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Statewide search for human trafficking (1D)

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Statewide search for human trafficking (1D)

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In April, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Warren Police Chief Eric Merkel announced that an undercover operation aimed at reducing demand for sex trafficking led to them arresting 8 men , including one suspect who investigators believe was allegedly attempting to recruit an undercover officer into the sex trade.

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Be free spreads their battle over three fronts to cover the ‘life cycle’ of sex trafficking, a coin they’ve termed to refer to the before, during and after stages of trafficking. They are seeing benefits in all three stages, and can use the community’s help in a variety of ways.

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In the Miami Valley, Van Dine explains that trafficking is not really a poverty issue. According to Justice plus Freedom, 80 percent of trafficking victims in the Valley come from middle class or higher homes.

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Kenneth Brandt received 60 years to life in prison for raping his adopted sons and selling one of them for sex to men online. Super Bowl weekend, police arrested Michael Miller at an Englewood hotel for allegedly forcing a woman into prostitution. His arrest was part of a nationwide crackdown.
In Ohio alone, 30 human trafficking investigations yielded 7 convictions last year.

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"It's so easy to be judgmental. Why in the world would they get involved in drugs? Why in the world would they put themselves through that? Why would they choose to be involved in this type of trauma? They're not choosing that. This is a path that is a result, a consequence of things that have happened to them," said Joy Fagan, founder of Safe Harbor House.

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Ohio Attorney General’s Office to coordinate and utilize state, local and federal law enforcement resources to combat these crimes and bring offenders to justice. Last year, 103 people were arrested through the task force. In recent years, our state government has strengthened Ohio’s laws protecting victims and punishing perpetrators, and cooperation among agencies has increased.

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Federal efforts have increased as well, and I am pleased the administration is signaling its strong involvement in this fight. Just this past month, the White House hosted a bipartisan roundtable with lawmakers, anti-trafficking experts, and human trafficking victims to develop strategies and objectives to strengthen the federal government’s fight against child trafficking and exploitation.

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In Ohio, the most common age to become a victim is 13 years old

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Human trafficking is where people profit from the control and exploitation of others. Victims are forced, defrauded, or coerced into trafficking.

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"We went to hotels to meet people or we did out calls where we went to their house,but nobody came to our house," said Candace. "It was supposed to be a secret, keep us protected." This is a quote used from Candace and she was told that the wearer protecting her when hey were actually sexually abusing her.

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Human trafficking is called Modern day slavery during this time.

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Dayton detective, encapsulate a fragment of both the horror and pervasiveness of the human trafficking crisis facing our country in the digital age. “It’s everywhere because of the online environment,” the detective said. “There’s no boundaries or limitations.”

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As many as 17,500 people may be trafficked into the United States every year, according to the Congressional Research Service, while approximately 100,000 American citizens may be victims of trafficking within the United States.

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"It's just as easy as ordering a pizza, to order a person."

These haunting words, spoken by an undercover Dayton detective, encapsulate a fragment of both the horror and pervasiveness of the human trafficking crisis facing our country in the digital age. "It's everywhere because of the online environment," the detective said. "There's no boundaries or limitations."

It is true - with the rise of the internet, human trafficking has become one of the fastest growing businesses of organized crime in the world.

The statistics are staggering. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has estimated human trafficking generates billions annually in illegal profits around the globe - second only to drug trafficking. As many as 17,500 people may be trafficked into the United States every year, according to the Congressional Research Service, while approximately 100,000 American citizens may be victims of trafficking within the United States.

It's happening in our backyard: Ohio ranks number five in the nation for the most human trafficking cases. Last year, 375 Ohio trafficking cases were reported from 1,352 calls to the national hotline, according to Polaris, a nonprofit tracking trafficking in America and across the world. These 2016 numbers are nearly four times those reported for 2013.

Children and young people are particularly vulnerable, as perpetrators increasingly manipulate advances in technology to lure their victims. One report cited 13 years old as the most common age in Ohio for youth to become victims of child sex trafficking.

These numbers are sickening - but it is important to remember they are so much more than mere numbers. They are faces. Names. Individuals. Stories. Behind each statistic is a human being whose worth has been objectified and traded as part of a cruel transaction. Each number represents a criminal that must be brought to justice.

But hope exists. In recent years, we've seen forward movement towards combatting human trafficking here in Ohio and across the U.S. A Human Trafficking Task Force was formed through the Ohio Attorney General's Office to coordinate and utilize state, local and federal law enforcement resources to combat these crimes and bring offenders to justice. Last year, 103 people were arrested through the task force. In recent years, our state government has strengthened Ohio's laws protecting victims and punishing perpetrators, and cooperation among agencies has increased.

Federal efforts have increased as well, and I am pleased the administration is signaling its strong involvement in this fight. Just this past month, the White House hosted a bipartisan roundtable with lawmakers, anti-trafficking experts, and human trafficking victims to develop strategies and objectives to strengthen the federal government's fight against child trafficking and exploitation.

These are promising steps towards progress, but much work remains to be done. We, as Americans, have a moral obligation to stand and fight such injustice. The exploitation and abuse of any human being - but especially young, innocent children - is an affront to our nation's founding values of life, liberty, human dignity, and the rule of law.

Recently, during "Combating Trafficking and Child Protection Week" in Congress, the House of Representatives passed 12 bills to combat child abuse and exploitation. They make a range of much-needed reforms. The Child Protection Improvements Act (H.R. 695) ensures youth-serving organizations have access to national background checks through the FBI's database for prospective employees or volunteers. Currently, too many youth-serving organizations only have access to state-level background check systems, which can leave dangerous gaps. The Put Trafficking Victims First Act (H.R. 2473) directs the Department of Justice to provide victim-centered training on investigating and processing human trafficking cases to law enforcement and government agencies on the federal, state, and local level. The Trafficking Survivors Relief Act (H.R. 459) aims to ensure minors who are trafficked are treated as victims - not criminals - and given an opportunity for a fresh start.

The bills also ensure investigators have more efficient access to critical evidence necessary to stop child predators, strengthen tools for the prosecution of perpetrators, increase the requirements for lifelong registration and reporting for offenders, and better equip law enforcement to protect children from harm. All of these were bipartisan bills, passed by bipartisan majorities.

Today, we face a myriad of challenges, many of which polarize our country strictly along party lines. This issue is different. The protection of our children and all human life is an American priority that transcends politics and serves as a pillar of our national identity. Washington can agree. We the people can agree. No human being should ever have to experience such heinous exploitation. We must stand and act - and we must do it together.

Read or Share this story: https://www.cincinnati.com/story/opinion/contributors/2017/06/06/human-trafficking-easy-ordering-pizza/371076001/

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Human trafficking: As easy as ordering a pizza

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"It's just as easy as ordering a pizza, to order a person." These haunting words, spoken by an undercover Dayton detective, encapsulate a fragment of both the horror and pervasiveness of the human trafficking crisis facing our country in the digital age. "It's everywhere because of the online environment," the detective said.

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While that may sound like a battle cry from wars of old, it is the very current motto of BE FREE Dayton, an organization that feels that while sex trafficking may sometimes look like voluntary prostitution, it is not. Creative Director Elizabeth Van Dine said that a minimal percentage of women or men actually "choose" to sell themselves for sex, and even then, that most adults in that industry are child victims of sex trafficking and abuse themselves.

"Society often feels 'you made your own bed, now you have to sell sex for money in it' - they don't see a child victim that was never rescued," Van Dine explains.

According to the Governor's Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force, human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery where people profit from the control and exploitation of others. Victims are forced, defrauded, or coerced into trafficking. Even if victims initially offer consent, that consent is rendered meaningless by the actions of the traffickers to exploit them for labor, services, or commercial sex. In Ohio, the most common age to become a victim is 13 years old (yes, you read that right).

In the Miami Valley, Van Dine explains that trafficking is not really a poverty issue. According to Justice plus Freedom, 80 percent of trafficking victims in the Valley come from middle class or higher homes. The key word is " vulnerability" - those who recruit use manipulation to make the victim dependent on something: drugs, attention, shelter - and then yank that away if the victim does not comply.

BE FREE spreads their battle over three fronts to cover the 'life cycle' of sex trafficking, a coin they've termed to refer to the before, during and after stages of trafficking. They are seeing benefits in all three stages, and can use the community's help in a variety of ways.

Before:

Sex traffickers prey on vulnerable children and adults. BE FREE offers four different educational programs to combat this and raise awareness.

Domestic Sex Trafficking 101: equips any group to identify red flags and report sex trafficking

Child Protection 101: geared towards adults, providing practical skills to protect adolescents in their spheres of influence

Be Free Gen Z: geared towards teens and tweens, offers interactive and age-appropriate training on how to protect themselves from recruitment

Demand Education 101: geared towards adult men, it presents the results and consequences of purchasing sex in the modern era

Each of these courses are free and offered to any group of five or more. BE FREE has presented in schools, churches, government agencies, Rotary Clubs, and even private home settings. They are also looking for educators willing to teach the trainings. Educators would be responsible for 2-3 trainings a month, and would be given the tools and training to know the subject matter extensively.

To schedule a training or for more information on becoming an educator, email education@befreedayton.org.

During:

This is where BE FREE considered what other groups fighting to stop sex trafficking were doing across the nation, then looked at Dayton and asked themselves "what are the specific needs of our community and what are we doing to meet it?" The result is FREEus Outreach, a comprehensive approach to meet victims in the streets, in venues, and on the grid (cyber outreach and care online).

BE FREE works with Oasis House to meet victims on the street in downtown Dayton, bringing goody bags to those who may have no place to sleep or eat that night...and according to Van Dine, are in their end game. Interesting fact: in Dayton, unlike the movies, prostitution is not at its peak at night. The most popular times for business in that industry are during the morning commute and lunch hour.

BE FREE is continually accepting items to fill their goody bags. Drop off any of these items at their office at 425 N. Findlay St.:

Women's socks (variety of sizes)

Mini Bottled Water (by the case)

Granola Bars, individually wrapped and by the case (Kind Bars, Quaker Oats, or NutriGrain brands)

Feminine Care Products (pads, tampons, cleansing cloths)

Deodorant

Mouth Wash/Toothbrush/Toothpaste

Gum

Hair Ties or Clips

The greatest need for manpower and "boots on the ground," according to Van Dine, is in the venue zones. Teams of 4-8 people are assigned a zip code, and once a month visit various businesses in that zone that victims of trafficking may frequent: hotels, bars, truck stops, gas stations, laundromats and hair salons. The goal is to establish relationships and shift perspectives, providing different resources at different places (like coasters with the tipline and sex trafficking red flags at bars).

"What our teams are doing is making a difference," Van Dine stated, pointing to a sex trafficking ring that had been alluding law enforcement for more than two years, and thanks to a tip from one of the places the teams made contact with, made a significant crack in the case.

To get involved in a team, email April at april@befreedayton.org.

After:

BE FREE is also working to establish an aftercare support network, and welcomes anyone with connections in that field. They believe aftercare is essential to restore victims of sex trafficking to a mainstream life, providing them with adequate housing, services and advocacy. They are also helping research and collect data from women's prisons, Oasis House and other organizations to see victims' demographics and continue to hone their practices to meet specific needs of this community.

If you can't devote physical time or energy to help, just helping promote BE FREE and get their mission out is important. Like or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Spread the word and be part of the fight to abolish human sex trafficking.

© 2019 Dayton Local. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from Dayton Local is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Dayton Local with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Related Profile:

BE FREE Dayton

BE FREE Dayton aims to abolish and prevent sex trafficking through education, outreach, demand reduction and research.

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What you dont know about human trafficking in the Miami Valley

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While that may sound like a battle cry from wars of old, it is the very current motto of BE FREE Dayton, an organization that feels that while sex trafficking may sometimes look like voluntary prostitution, it is not.

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MIAMI VALLEY. Ohio (WKEF/WRGT) - Activist, educator, survivor.

Evelyn Chumbow has this warning.

"You might think, 'Oh, it's not going to happen to my child.' You don't know that," Chumow said.

For nearly a decade, Chumbow was part of the human trafficking trade. She now travels the globe, sharing her story. A recent stop took her to Cedarville University, where Fox 45's Shavon Anderson sat down to talk with her.

"I was so sold by my uncle for $2000 to come to the U.S.," she said.

At age 9, she was brought from Cameroon, then beaten, worked and raped until age 17.

"I have scars that will forever remain in me," she said. "I have bruises right here. I had bruises all over my body. Physically and mentally, the words that were used on me, you know."

Chumbow is only one of thousands of victims nationwide. Last year, more than 10,000 potential victims were identified across the states, nearly 400 cases in Ohio.

In the Miami Valley, the Ohio State Highway Patrol is increasing training and awareness.

"This is a fairly busy part of I-75, truck stop," said Agent Adam Johnson, with the Ohio Investigative Unit.

Fox 45 rode along with Johnson to see what he sees on the job. The first stop was a travel center near Franklin, and the site of a recent December sting.

"We brought ladies over to this area, we were set up with an undercover agent, and then we'd move in and make the arrest," Johnson described. "What was eye opening to me was how much traffic flowed in and out of this truck stop over just one given evening."

Agents in plain clothes sit and watch, picking up on patterns, building evidence.

"Everyone's had the basics of here's human trafficking 101."

It's paying off statewide.

In April, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and Warren Police Chief Eric Merkel announced that an undercover operation aimed at reducing demand for sex trafficking led to the arrests of 8 men, including one suspect who investigators believe was allegedly attempting to recruit an undercover officer into the sex trade.

In March, the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force arrested four people accused of trafficking nearly a dozen women in the Columbus area. The investigation found that the individuals allegedly trafficked women over a two year period through the use of online sex advertising. The group allegedly targeted women who were addicted to heroin.

In September 2017, multiple agencies including the Ohio Investigative Unit and Montgomery County R.A.N.G.E. Task Force raided three Dayton-area businesses: The Harem, The Living Room and Sharkey's. While agents tell Fox 45 that raid did not involve evidence of human trafficking, there's a fine line where drugs and prostitution can turn into something more criminal. Ultimately, 11 people were indicted on drug and prostitution charges in the Harem case. Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck said his office filed a restraining order that will keep The Harem on North Dixie Drive in Harrison Township closed until a hearing can be held that could shut it down for good.

Other area businesses are still being monitored for the same reasons, including New York, New York Cabaret in Franklin.

After a year-long investigation, the establishment was slapped with a 23-count indictment in 2017. That case also saw charges of drug trafficking and previous prostitution by employees.

Today, New York, New York is still open.

"They're looking for those violations," Johnson said about eyeing the businesses moving forward.

With arrests becoming routine, what's changed?

"We're looking for it more than we were, say 5 or 8 years ago," Johnson said.

According to so are regular people, helping in the fight.

In 2012, 459 calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline came from Ohio. In 2015, numbers increased to more than 1000.

By 2016, Ohio identified at least 151 victims of trafficking, and at least 70 minors. Johnson told Fox 45 that awareness and arrests are only part of the solution.

"You need that cooperation from the victim to help to pursue the human trafficking criminal charges," he said.

It's a complicated, often emotional situation for victims.

"They've been treated this way for so long, it almost feels normal to them."

Johnson recalled a recent case, where counselors tried talking with the victim.

"When it was all said and done, we couldn't get her to testify against him."

Chumbow wants others to speak up.

"It's not something that's going to end today," she told Fox 45's Shavon Anderson.

Awareness from the public, however, can save lives.

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central ohio human trafficking task force

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ohio investigative unit andmontgomery county r.a.n.g.e. task force

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Fox 45 Investigates: Statewide search for human traffickers, what you need to know

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MIAMI VALLEY. Ohio (WKEF/WRGT) - Activist, educator, survivor.Evelyn Chumbow has this warning.You might think, 'Oh, it's not going to happen to my child.' You don't know that, Chumow said.For nearly a decade, Chumbow was part of the human trafficking trade

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More than 1,000 Ohio children are victims of human trafficking annually and 3,000 more are at-risk of becoming victims in one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the world, experts say.

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, where people profit from the control and exploitation of others, according to Polaris Project, a leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking.

Victims of human trafficking include children involved in the sex trade, adults age 18 or older who are coerced or deceived into commercial sex acts, and anyone forced into different forms of "labor or services," as defined by Polaris Project's website.

"It's become a very hot topic in law enforcement the last couple years," said Sgt. Chris Colbert of the Ohio Highway Patrol Dayton post. "People are being exploited, where before it was always looked at as a victimless crime."

Colbert said the Interstate 70 and Interstate 75 interchange puts the Miami Valley in a prime spot for human trafficking.

A group of local advocates have joined forces to introduce a public awareness campaign that will be visible on two billboards in Montgomery County this summer, including one on I-75.

"We know that public awareness has a direct correlation with response," said Elizabeth Ranade-Jani, anti-trafficking coordinator for the Ohio Department of Public Safety. "Trafficking is a hidden crime."

A digital billboard on I-75 near Stanley Avenue will display the public awareness message more than a thousand times a day, according to a spokesperson for Key Ads.

The advertisement features a young girl's face with a message reading "sold for sex in Ohio."

The message also advised that anyone who may be a victim or may be aware of human trafficking in their area to call 911 or 888-373-7888.

The digital message is being funded by the United Methodist Women, an organization dedicated to human trafficking advocacy, among other services.

"This was an issue that United Methodist Women have been on board trying to combat for over 10 years," said Susan Kelleher, president of the United Methodist Women at Christ United Methodist.

A traditional billboard will be located on the U.S. 35/OH 49 connector near Little Richmond Road.

Between July 2013 and March 2014, the Ohio Network of Children Advocacy Centers identified 51 children who were classified as trafficking victims, according to Ranade-Jani. Five of the children were under the age of six.

Ranade-Jani said victims can come from both urban and rural areas.

In 2012, Gov. John Kasich formed the Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force to help use state resources to provide assistance for victims and prosecute the people responsible. Last month, the governor signed into law HB130, which increases the penalties for 'johns' soliciting sex from boys or girls younger than 16.

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More than 1,000 Ohio children are victims of human trafficking annually and 3,000 more are at-risk of becoming victims in one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in the world, experts say. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery, where people profit from the control and exploitation of others, according to Polaris Project, a leading organization in the global fight against human trafficking.

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- Modern day slavery, now known as human trafficking, is happening here in the Dayton area. In fact, some call it a hub because traffickers use the I-70-75 corridor to easily transport woman who have been forced into the sex trade.

"I was young and I was naive, and they made it sound glamorous," said Candace, who is not revealing her last name for her protection. "Now I know I was brainwashed and I was manipulated."

Candace said she was sold for sex, controlled by drugs and paid in drugs.

"We went to hotels to meet people or we did out calls where we went to their house,but nobody came to our house," said Candace. "It was supposed to be a secret, keep us protected."

Her so-called protector, David Nelms, is now serving 12 years in prison. Undercover agents caught him advertising a harem of women online, including Candace. She was eventually arrested, along with her attacker in one of Ohio's first big human trafficking cases.

"I was put through the legal system, just like my trafficker. I face the same charges as my trafficker and then, later, was called a victim," said Candace. "I don't think we're the same. I don't think my trafficker and I are the same."

Candace is now getting help at Safe Harbor House in Springfield.

"It's so easy to be judgmental. Why in the world would they get involved in drugs? Why in the world would they put themselves through that? Why would they choose to be involved in this type of trauma? They're not choosing that. This is a path that is a result, a consequence of things that have happened to them," said Joy Fagan, founder of Safe Harbor House.

Ohio Attorney General Mike Dewine said the state's Human Trafficking Commission wants to help create more places like Safe Harbor House where victims can find a safe home and 24/7 treatment.

"It's an Ohio problem and a problem in every state," said Dewine.

Lawmakers are working to up the penalties for traffickers, especially those who coerce minors in to the sex trade. Law enforcement officers are going deeper undercover to catch them and
the buyers.

Kenneth Brandt received 60 years to life in prison for raping his adopted sons and selling one of them for sex to men online. Super Bowl weekend, police arrested Michael Miller at an Englewood hotel for allegedly forcing a woman into prostitution. His arrest was part of a nationwide crackdown.

In Ohio alone, 30 human trafficking investigations yielded 7 convictions last year.

Officials believe education is the key, especially with law enforcement officers. Newly mandated training will teach them the warning signs of human trafficking.

-- Someone who does not have control of their own identification.
-- Someone who appears to be lost.
-- Someone who appears to be under someone else s control.

"I was so broken when I got here a year ago, I couldn't even make eye contact with people, " said Candace.

She is now learning the skills to be in control of her own life.

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Dayton a hub for human trafficking | Dayton, OH Crime

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Modern day slavery, now known as human trafficking, is happening here in the Dayton area. In fact, some call it a hub because traffickers use the I-70-75 corridor to easily transport woman who have been forced into the sex trade.