PHOENIX (AZFamily) — January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and there’s a renewed crackdown on a notorious stretch of Phoenix.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office reports there has been an increase in sex trafficking cases involving kids and teens in recent years.
On Tuesday, a community forum hosted by MCAO and Grand Canyon University was held to discuss the growing issue of human trafficking and the impact it has had on Valley communities, especially in the area of Phoenix known as “The Blade,” near 27th Avenue and Indian School Road.
“I was trafficked at 18. I came out at 31,” said Carrie Bradley.
Bradley, who founded the non-profit IdentiFreed, spent more than a dozen years as a victim of sex trafficking herself. She says that her faith saved her, and now she works to help others.
“I think that there’s a lot of agencies out there vying for position, but we all need to be working together,” said Bradley.
In November, dozens of women were arrested for prostitution in “The Blade” as part of Operation New Beginning, which drew criticism from victim advocates.
“Why go after those people versus the people that are sex trafficking them?” asked Arizona’s Family Reporter Zach Prelutsky.
“Yeah, no, look, it’s a great question, right? And I think there’s a political divide and there’s some decisiveness in terms of ideology,” answered Grand Canyon University Police Chief Mark Heimall.
Heimall says the ultimate goal is to arrest the sex traffickers.
“We want to get to the sex trafficker because we know that that’s where that truly makes a difference,” he said.
But Heimall argues that arresting victims of sex trafficking can lead to help for them.
“If we can have that level of engagement, especially with the prostitutes, where we can lead with services and we can provide them with resources,” he explained.
“Sex trafficking is not a victimless crime. It not only affects the person being trafficked, but it affects families, it affects neighborhoods,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
Mitchell knows that this is a problem that isn’t isolated to Maricopa County, but wants to see it stop happening here.
“I measure success when 27th Avenue is a safe place to walk. And we’re not seeing open prostitution deals taking place, prostitution up and down the street, drug activity, violent activity. When we see that cleaned up, that’ll be success,” she said.
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