The issue of human trafficking is back on Baton Rouge’s radar following the Jan. 14 arrests of two women accused of prostituting a 16-year-old girl out of the Calloway Inn on Mead Road. The grim news follows other arrests made last month of a man and woman accused of trafficking another 16-year-old girl in the area.
Baton Rouge’s recent uptick in human trafficking arrests presents an alarming trend for the city, despite the vigilant eyes of many local organizations.
Human trafficking, as defined by Spanish senior Bridget Savoie, refers to the recruitment, transportation and trading of people for the purposes of labor and prostitution.
Savoie is the president of Tigers Against Trafficking, a group of University students who aim to mobilize the student body and the local community to combat human trafficking on a global scale.
“We’re a lot better off than we were when we first got started,” Savoie said. “But there’s still a long way to go.”
Emily Morrow Chenevert, national awareness director for Trafficking Hope, also acknowledged the strides Louisiana has made in prevention efforts.
Chenevert said Trafficking Hope’s many services include providing support for trafficking victims and educating various organizations on the issue.
“We’re definitely moving in the right direction,” Chenevert said.
In September, Trafficking Hope opened the first full-service, longterm home for trafficking victims in Louisiana. The facility, known as “Hope House,” helps its inhabitants deal with psychological trauma and provides medical care for victims.
“At Hope House, we help victims of trafficking become fully restored at every level,” Chenevert said.
Louisiana is one of only three states in the nation that received an “A” grade from Shared Hope International, a non-profit anti-trafficking organization. According to the group’s website, the grades are based on 41 key legislative components that must be addressed in a state’s laws in order to effectively respond to the crime of domestic minor sex trafficking.
Additionally, the Joint Human Trafficking Study Commission is currently working on an array of bills aimed at fighting trafficking to introduce in Louisiana’s upcoming legislative session.
Despite these efforts, both Savoie and Chenevert acknowledge that the most important step in preventing human trafficking in Louisiana is awareness.
“As students, we have a large voice,” Savoie said. “It’s not enough until every student knows and until every person is aware of what’s going on.”
“As students, we have a large voice. It’s not enough until every student knows and until every person is aware of what’s going on.”