COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost hosted the fifth annual Human Trafficking Summit in downtown Columbus on Wednesday morning.
The event brings together survivors, social workers, law enforcement officials and other community members to share resources and tools to successfully fight human trafficking across the state.
You know, what gives me hope is your tenacity, your resilience. The fact that when you’re on a tough, emotionally draining mission, you get up day after day and you go right back to work,” Dave Yost said.
The focus of this year’s summit was how to help survivors achieve long-term healing. The summit’s keynote speaker was Marti MacGibbon, a survivor of international human trafficking, who spoke about post-traumatic growth and trauma recovery.
“Courage combined with love is unstoppable,” MacGibbon said. “When we have the courage to confront evil and stand with those who have experienced evil, the power of this work is deep and limitless.”
In his speech, Yost announced the first nationwide human trafficking hotline.
“The hotline number – 844-END-OHHT (844-363-6448) – will route incoming tips about suspected sex and labor trafficking directly to law enforcement. It will open to the public later in 2024,” Yost’s office said in a statement.
The hotline is expected to be set up shortly after Labor Day.
