Human Rights Task Force will fight Human Trafficking

Human trafficking is the number two crime behind drug dealing in the nation.

And after yesterdays bust on a prostitution ring involving young women here in Midland, law enforcement around the basin are taking action.

The Basin is creating a human rights task force to fight human trafficking. Trafficking is not something new to the Basin or around the United States.

And with more cases being reported all around the nation everyday, Sheriff Gary Painter gathered local, state, and federal agencies in hopes of saving lives.

"It's the growing problem in the nation all the people struggling here are being told they have to work they way out of it. They are forced into prostitution and labor camps," said Midland County Sheriff, Gary Painter.

And Midland is right in the middle of it.

"We're in a major hub in trafficking of humans and narcotics coming out from Mexico in this area and being sent out to to other parts of the nation," said Painter.

That's why Sheriff Painter is creating a human rights task force which he hopes,

"Will bring people together. We have to find the victims and the victims are the very important ones we got to locate," said Painter.
 
But finding them is only one part of this job. Victims will also need to start a new life and this is where Painter believes the task force will help.

"You have to find a place for them to live, food for them, and social services. Were trying to bring all the human services organizations that provide child protective services, so we don't have to wait and try to get it together...we need to get it together now," said Painter.
 
So why now?

"Why not? The problem is here we need to address it, we can't hide from it and provide a coalition of people that will work together and solve this," said Painter.

And although Painter knows Midland is a very small piece of this worldwide problem. He will still do what he can to stop it.

"Human slavery is alive and well in this country and we have to do what we can to fight it," said Painter.

And as Painter said the most important part of finding the people responsible is to find the victims.

Painter said some ways to identify victims is if you find them being ordered around or if they don't have identification. Some might have bruises or other signs of battering.

For more information on how you could report a victim or with details on how to join this task force you can call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-3737-888 and you can visit the Sheriff's website at http://www.co.midland.tx.us/sheriff/.