History of The Task Force
The History of the Task Force:
The Kentucky Statewide Human Trafficking Task Force was created by human trafficking advocates in 2013 to assist with the implementation of the Human Trafficking Victims Rights Act (HTVRA), passed by the Kentucky General Assembly in the same year. Passing of the HTVRA created a robust legal structure to equip law enforcement with key tools to strengthen penalties for traffickers and set up a safe harbor pathway for victims to obtain relief services.
The Statewide Taskforce is currently co-chaired by representatives from the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts and Catholic Charities of Louisville. In 2016, the Statewide Task Force was awarded funding for three years from the Bureau of Justice Assistance and
the Office for Victims of Crime to improve collaboration between federal, state, and local enforcement, state agencies, and victim services providers. Although the federal funding has since expired, the work of the Kentucky Statewide Task Force Continues.
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Task Force Structure
The Core Team:
The core team consists of the Task Force co-chairs and the chairs of the Working Groups. This group steers task force goals and strategies in the statewide effort to build capacity in identifying and responding to human trafficking.
There are several Working Groups that were established within the task force to address specific topics.
Working Groups:
· Labor Trafficking
· Victim Services
· Data and Research
· Public Awareness
Data Collection and Evaluation Goals:
· Establish and sustain effective task force leadership and a structure to support identification of victims of all forms of trafficking.
· Increase capacity of law enforcement offices, service providers, and other community stakeholders to identify and respond to human trafficking through training and public awareness campaigns.
· Conduct proactive investigations of sex and labor trafficking to increase the number of successful prosecutions at the state and federal level.
· Provide high quality and timely comprehensive services to victims of all forms of trafficking.
· Improve inter-agency collaboration and coordination on human trafficking prosecution and investigations.
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