In 2021 there were 607 confirmed or suspected juvenile victims of human trafficking in Louisiana. On January 1st, the state launched a hotline for reporting human trafficking. Christy Tate, a child welfare manager with the Department of Children and Family Services said it’s a central point for individuals to report suspected trafficking.
“And from there pass it on to Louisiana State Police to get that law enforcement piece started,” said Tate.
To report trafficking you can call 1-855-4LA-KIDS (1-855-452-5437) and option 4 will direct you to a live person who’s trained to ask questions to determine if it’s trafficking or not.
“They have certain screenings and red flags that they talk through with the caller to see if these types of things are going on and to be able to direct it in that direction or not,” said Tate.
Tate said they’ve already received calls and the hotline is a vital advancement in the state’s work to protect children.
“Really it’s one of a kind, functioning the way that we have it here,” said Tate.
Tate said if you suspect something to call and you can choose to remain anonymous.
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