32 victims of human trafficking, including minors rescued during “Operation HOPE” –

Lina PortmanMay 25, 2024

0 2 minutes read

Arkansas State Police and members of the Arkansas Council Against Human Trafficking recently conducted an operation that resulted in the rescue of seven female human trafficking survivors and 25 other local victims, including children. In a statement released Monday, the Arkansas Department of Public Safety conducted Operation HOPE (Help and Opportunity to Prevent Exploitation) with the Arkansas Human Trafficking Council to recover victims and provide them with several resources, including food, accommodation, on-site medical care. services, advice, therapy and detoxification.

“These concerted efforts will significantly contribute to making Arkansas a place where human trafficking is not tolerated,” Col. Mike Hagar, ASP director, said in a statement. “Arkansas' dedicated law enforcement community is fully committed to addressing the dark reality of human trafficking with empathy, with the goal of bringing victims out of the shadows and providing them with the support and care they need to recover.”

During the operation, intelligence analysts and law enforcement identified victims and were able to rescue three children and one adult from locations described as exploitative, vulnerable and unstable. The adults then received victim support services while the children were placed in protective custody.

“Not only are we tracking down the bad guys, we're also tracking down the injured,” ASP Criminal Investigation Division Commander Maj. Stacie Rhoads said in a statement.

According to the Christian Post, Arkansas Attorney General's Office, Hot Springs Police Department, Garland County Sheriff's Office, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Harrison Police Department and the Arkansas Fusion Center also provided assistance to Operation HOPE. The initiative received additional support from Regional Sexual Exploitation Response, Project Genesis, Into the Light, ACASA, Saline County Safe Haven, River Valley Medical Wellness and the NWA forensic nursing team.

In February, five human trafficking survivors and 30 victims were rescued during a similar operation, Operation HART, which took place in Jonesboro, in northeast Arkansas.

“The Arkansas law enforcement community and our victim services partners are on a mission to end human trafficking in Arkansas,” Hagar said in a statement at the time. “We are working to give law enforcement the specialized training they need to treat victims with compassion while freeing them from the perpetrators of this heinous crime.”

Alabama is not the only state that has taken the initiative to combat human trafficking within its borders. Last month, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed an anti-child trafficking law that increases the penalty for first-degree human trafficking to a mandatory life sentence if the victim is a minor, the Christian Post reported. The legislation, described by its supporters as “the strictest in the country,” is set to come into force on October 1.

“Child trafficking is one of the most heinous and heartbreaking crimes in America, and because the victims are the most defenseless among us, those found guilty should face the harshest penalties,” Ivey said in a statement.

“As human trafficking spreads across the country, law enforcement is struggling to keep pace with those who want to harm and exploit innocent victims,” she continued. “Unfortunately, we have seen cases like this right here in Alabama, where human traffickers continue to cavalierly defy our laws, but not anymore.”