Ohio Attorney General Yost announces human trafficking hotline – The Tribune

Staff report

COLUMBUS – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the first statewide human trafficking hotline in his opening remarks at the office’s fifth annual Human Trafficking Summit in downtown Columbus.
“It’s simple: The more we know, the more we can do to help,” Yost said. “We need to continue to advance these efforts so that those who buy sex or force others to work know every day that we are coming for them.”
The hotline number – 844-END-OHHT (844-363-6448) – will forward incoming tips about suspected sex and labor trafficking directly to law enforcement and will be open to the public later in 2024.
The Attorney General passed on the phone number to the more than 700 participants of the summit on Wednesday – precisely the people who will play a crucial role in the success of the summit.
“You give me hope,” Yost told the group at the Hyatt Regency Columbus. “Together we are strong and you are not alone. And that means our survivors and our future survivors are not alone either.”
The summit brings together survivors, social workers, health professionals, police officers, lawyers, prosecutors, judges and other community stakeholders committed to ending sex and labor trafficking in Ohio.
As evidenced by the range of professions represented, the focus of the summit was on the critical role that continuum of care – an integrated system of services and resources – plays in helping survivors achieve long-term healing on what AG Yost often calls the “Highway to Hope.”
Since taking office in 2019, Yost has made the fight against human trafficking one of his administration’s top priorities.
In May, the office released the Human Trafficking 101 guide, designed to guide local communities in combating human trafficking.
Also in May, Yost and members of his Ambassadorial Advisory Council on the Bureau’s Commission on Human Trafficking advocated for legislation that would allow victims of human trafficking to have certain crimes expunged from their criminal records, giving victims greater access to jobs, housing and other vital resources. The bill was signed into law in July.
This year’s summit keynote speaker, Marti MacGibbon, is a survivor of human trafficking – in her case, international sex trafficking. She spoke on Wednesday 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.”
Organized by the AG’s Human Trafficking Initiative, the 2024 Summit featured 26 unique workshops with 55 facilitators.