(Lincoln, NE) -- During his first official press conference as Governor of Nebraska, Jim Pillen declares January as Human Trafficking Awareness month.
Speaking during the press conference on Tuesday, Attorney General Mike Hilgers stated, “Human trafficking is an abhorrent crime that happens in Nebraska, and Nebraska's citizens, and its law enforcement community, must be vigilant in fighting against this scourge. This year's report from the Human Trafficking Task force shows continued momentum as the state fights against this crime. We will build on our success and work to do more to rid our state of human trafficking and to heal the damage it causes.”
The 2022 Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force Update was released on Tuesday and details the new hotline launched by NHTTF and the Nebraska State Patrol. The report states that the Task Force trained 2,700 Nebraskans in the last year to recognize the signs of human trafficking. Trainees included prosecutors, firefighters, TSA, law enforcement, college students, nonprofits, and community groups, along with many others. In 2022, Nebraska also convicted 13 sex trafficking defendants of felonies, the largest number of such defendants convicted in a single year in state history. Since 2020, Nebraska has continued to prosecute 1.5 sex trafficking cases per month.
To learn more about NHTTF and human trafficking in Nebraska, click here or read the NHTTF 2022 Update here.
Nebraskans can submit tips to 1-833-PLS-LOOK to report signs of human trafficking in Nebraska. The hotline connects citizens to trained law enforcement with information they are able to pursue. The hotline has been promoted with posters across the state, including being displayed at every rest stop on I-80.