Officials Say Human Trafficking Can Sometimes Be Difficult To Spot

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Agencies Launch State's First 'Human Trafficking' Task Force

POSTED: 12:13 pm EDT June 8, 2011
UPDATED: 12:16 pm EDT June 8, 2011

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SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY, Pa. -- Five counties are teaming up in a new effort to battle human trafficking in the Susquehanna Valley.

Matt Barcaro Several agencies gather for the task force announcement Wednesday morning at state police headquarters in Harrisburg.

The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape and the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association announced the formation of the Human Trafficking Response Team on Wednesday at State Police Troop H in Harrisburg. The team is the first in the state to focus on human trafficking and is comprised of law enforcement, advocates, social services and professional trade associations."When people hear human trafficking -- whether for prostitution or labor -- they sometimes think it is a problem outside their concern or something that does not happen in Central Pennsylvania," PCAR Chief Executive Officer Delilah Rumburg said in a news release. "The fact is, human trafficking does occur in Pennsylvania. That isn’t acceptable. The response team will hold traffickers accountable for the crimes they commit within our neighborhoods and along our interstates, and extend crucial services to victims."Officials say human trafficking occurs when "a person is forced, coerced, threatened or deceived into performing labor or prostitution." Officials estimate that nationally, more than 100,000 U.S. citizens, mostly young girls, are trafficked for prostitution within the U.S. each year.At Wednesday's news conference, speakers said human trafficking can sometimes be a tough crime to spot."The State Police are on the frontlines in the identifying cases of human trafficking, but we also need the public’s help," Captain William Horgas, Commanding Officer of Troop H, Pennsylvania State Police. “We encourage anyone who has witnessed suspicious activity or suspects someone is being forced or coerced into prostitution anywhere to immediately call law enforcement authorities.”According to state police, the new task force is comprised of the following:

District attorneys from Adams, Franklin, Perry, Cumberland and Dauphin counties, the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape, the Pennsylvania State Police, local law enforcement, US Department of Homeland Security, Survivors, Inc., YWCA of Carlisle Sexual Assault/Rape Crisis Services of Cumberland County, YWCA – Violence Intervention Prevention Program, WIN/Victim Services, Children & Youth, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, the Pennsylvania Motor Trucking Association and the LGBT Community Center Coalition of Central Pennsylvania.

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