Hope For Human Trafficking

By: Ava Homer

According to a federal report released in 2020, 83% of all active cases start online. Florida Attorney General, Ashley Moody announced the release of an “online safety kit” to protect minors. The kit focuses on informing parents of the hazards of human trafficking and encouraging them to monitor their child’s social media. Instagram is responsible for 14% of cases and is used by over 16 million teens ages 12 to 17. Ron Stucker, director of the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation said, “Almost every case the [Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation] investigates of human trafficking has some component of social media involved.” Florida legislation hopes that this kit will decrease the numbers of minors who are victim to human trafficking.