JACKSONVILLE \u2013 They\u00a0stood stoic and steadfast.\u00a0Their message was paramount, yet\u00a0abhorrent.\u00a0They were resolute\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0critical facts of their mission.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For most, it is inconceivable to believe some buy and sell\u00a0other\u00a0humans\u00a0without empathy, as if they were\u00a0little\u00a0more than a used lawnmower or a couch listed on\u00a0Craigslist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
To the members of the\u00a0Northeast Florida\u00a0INTERCEPT Task Force, the victims\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0property to be bartered.\u00a0They are often young,\u00a0innocent, emotionally or mentally challenged or fighting substance abuse,\u00a0who are\u00a0targeted\u00a0by callous\u00a0people who are experts in trafficking, online exploitation\u00a0and manipulation for forced labor, the sex industry or control.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The 11 law enforcement agencies that comprise the INTERCEPT Task Force as part of the Tim Tebow Foundation and Operation Lightshine met at the organization\u2019s headquarters on Monday, Jan. 5, to kick off Human Trafficking Month.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They delivered some alarming\u00a0\u2013 and\u00a0disturbing\u00a0\u2013 information.\u00a0They also told parents how to spot signs of\u00a0manipulation, either online or in person.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force has remained committed to fighting trafficking and exploitation since it was created nearly three years ago,\u201d\u00a0Clay County Sheriff Michelle Cook said. \u201cIn that\u00a0timeframe,\u00a0we’ve\u00a0worked 1,617\u00a0cases, most\u00a0specifically charges of human trafficking, the rest related to exploitation\u00a0and\u00a0child sexual assault material.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0just this task force alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of these agencies,\u00a0all of\u00a0our agencies, also work cases on our own. This is just\u00a01,617\u00a0cases out of this office right here.\u00a0It’s\u00a0important to know that exploitation cases often lead to trafficking.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
In addition to CCSO, members of\u00a0the INTERCEPT Task Force\u00a0include the St. Johns, Nassau, Flagler and Putnam county sheriff\u2019s offices, Jacksonville Sheriff\u2019s Office, the U.S. Attorney\u2019s Office Middle District, Homeland Security Investigations Jacksonville, the State Attorney\u2019s Office Fourth District, the Florida Department of Law\u00a0Enforcement\u00a0and the U.S. Secret Service.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan said INTERCEPT\u00a0has expanded its resources to catch predators\u00a0by creating the No Trafficking Sports and Entertainment District.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She said\u00a0human trafficking posters were placed around EverBank Stadium for the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Florida-Georgia\u00a0and\u00a0TaxSlayer Gator Bowl\u00a0games and Daily\u2019s Plaza concerts. A fan\u00a0saw a poster and noticed a child was acting in the manner of someone who was\u00a0possibly being\u00a0trafficked. The fan told a JSO deputy, and that led to the arrest of a man who was there to meet someone who was supposed to buy the child.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Posters are also posted inside adult clubs in Northeast Florida, and law enforcement and INTERCEPT regularly check on the clubs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Victims are often groomed by predators who\u00a0pose as\u00a0loving friends or relatives, either in person or online. Or they\u00a0embed messages in video games or chat rooms.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been said\u00a0a\u00a0few\u00a0times\u00a0today;\u00a0it frequently\u00a0goes unnoticed, which is why\u00a0the public needs to understand\u00a0what it can look like here in our own community,\u201d Cook said. \u201cHuman trafficking does not always look the same. In some cases, it can\u00a0involve\u00a0forced labor\u00a0or exploitation\u00a0control. In some cases, it starts out and appears to be a normal relationship or a romantic\u00a0connection, but\u00a0it\u00a0becomes dangerous\u00a0when manipulation, coercion and exploitation\u00a0become\u00a0a part of that relationship.<\/p>\n
“Exploitation targets vulnerability. In many cases, traffickers take advantage of individuals who are struggling with substance abuse, mental health\u00a0challenges\u00a0or difficult life circumstances. These offenders are willing to exploit these vulnerabilities for their own gain. Our responsibility\u00a0as\u00a0law enforcement is to turn victims into thriving survivors and\u00a0to\u00a0hold offenders accountable. We work to stop these crimes, disrupt\u00a0exploitation,\u00a0and\u00a0help victims move towards safety and recovery.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHuman trafficking has no place in any of our communities, and we will continue working with our partners to confront it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cook said cellphones and computers\u00a0have\u00a0challenged\u00a0law enforcement, because\u00a0they\u2019ve\u00a0become a\u00a0valuable\u00a0tool for traffickers.\u00a0That\u2019s\u00a0why\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0imperative for parents to\u00a0play a greater role in\u00a0their children\u2019s\u00a0safety.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSmartphones\u00a0are a reality,\u201d she said. \u201cIf\u00a0you’re\u00a0not aware of who your kids are talking to online, if you are not aware of what gaming\u00a0platforms\u00a0they’re\u00a0using online,\u00a0it’s\u00a0no different than taking your little kid to a\u00a0park\u00a0and leaving them\u00a0there alone.\u00a0There’s\u00a0so much information available on the internet, and there are so many groups out there that are willing to help you look at what applications your child is using.\u00a0These are safer than others.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"JACKSONVILLE \u2013 They\u00a0stood stoic and steadfast.\u00a0Their message was paramount, yet\u00a0abhorrent.\u00a0They were resolute\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0critical facts of their mission.\u00a0 For most,…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":503292,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5136],"tags":[5229,15024,15015,15023,15026,3188,15016,723,15021,7310,15020,15022,7648,15018,15017,15025,15019,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-503291","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-jacksonville","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-argyle","10":"tag-clay-county","11":"tag-doctors-inlet","12":"tag-eagle-harbor","13":"tag-fl","14":"tag-fleming-island","15":"tag-florida","16":"tag-green-cove-springs","17":"tag-jacksonville","18":"tag-keystone-heights","19":"tag-lake-asbury","20":"tag-margaret","21":"tag-middleburg","22":"tag-orange-park","23":"tag-pace-island","24":"tag-penney-farms","25":"tag-united-states","26":"tag-united-states-of-america","27":"tag-unitedstates","28":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","29":"tag-us","30":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115864142096691049","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/503291","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=503291"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/503291\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/503292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=503291"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=503291"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=503291"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}