Human Trafficking in Columbus: “Every Missing Child Is a Community Crisis”
Human trafficking is not an abstract problem happening somewhere else. It is present in Columbus, hiding in plain sight — in schools, online spaces, unstable homes and moments of vulnerability. In this expanded Sunday Conversation, Dr. Brett Murphy Dawson, Education & Outreach Coordinator speaks candidly about how trafficking actually happens, why language and urgency matter, and what Columbus must do differently to protect its children. This conversation is printed with clarity and purpose. No sugarcoating. No sensationalism. Just truth.
Q: Dr. Dawson, for the record, tell our readers who you are and how you came into this work.
Dawson: My name is Dr. Brett Murphy Dawson. My background is in child-focused care, prevention and advocacy. Early in my career, particularly while working in medical and community-based settings, I kept seeing the same devastating pattern: children who had already experienced sexual abuse were far more likely to be exploited later. Around the early 2000s, that realization shifted my focus. I understood that if we truly wanted to stop trafficking, we had to intervene before exploitation occurred. That led me into child sexual abuse prevention work and, eventually, to Micah’s Promise. Our mission is rooted in Micah 6:8 — to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly — and we do that through education, advocacy and restoration…