COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) – Ohio announced it will launch the “first-ever” statewide human trafficking hotline.
At the fifth annual Human Trafficking Summit in Columbus on Wednesday, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost revealed a statewide human trafficking hotline, with the phone number 844-END-OHHT (844-363-6448). The service will funnel incoming tips on suspected sex and labor trafficking directly to the appropriate law enforcement entities.
The summit was attended by survivors, social workers, healthcare professionals, law enforcement officers, lawyers, prosecutors, judges and other community stakeholders who work to end human trafficking in Ohio.
“It’s simple: the more we know, the more we can do to help,” Yost said. “We need to keep pushing these efforts forward so that, every day, those who buy sex or compel another’s labor know that we’re coming for them.”
A national human trafficking hotline, with the number 888-373-7888, was created in 2007. The service connects victims with support services, as well as receives tips about potential human trafficking situations and reports that information to the appropriate authorities.