Representative Nancy Mace: Human trafficking is on the rise in South Carolina. Here’s how we’re fighting it.

In South Carolina, the scourge of human trafficking is not just a news story or a distant tragedy; it is an ever-present threat to our children, our neighbors, and our collective conscience. Last year alone, the South Carolina Division of Law Enforcement reported an alarming 357 cases of human trafficking involving nearly 500 potential victims, primarily minors who were victims of sex trafficking.

This is a marked increase from the 416 victims recorded in 2022, demonstrating a critical and urgent need for action.

High incidence rates in the Lowcountry, where 93 cases were opened last year, not only shatter the peace of our neighborhoods, but also call for an immediate and tailored response to protect our most vulnerable.

The state has made commendable progress with initiatives such as TraffickProofSC, a series of free educational videos and materials aimed at educating our youth and community members about the dangers of human trafficking. Yet while prevention is crucial, the need for strong victim support cannot be overstated. Attorney General Alan Wilson has rightly advocated for increased funding to develop more shelters specifically for child victims, demonstrating the state’s commitment not only to combatting this crime, but healing its survivors.

Despite these efforts, challenges persist due to a lack of community awareness and the need to strengthen legal frameworks to effectively prosecute perpetrators. It is hard to imagine that this kind of unhealthy activity could occur here at home.

Human traffickers exploit vulnerable people, but they also thrive in silence and ignorance.

To break this cycle, it is essential to be vigilant. Reporting suspicious activity and understanding the signs of human trafficking can save lives and help law enforcement bring traffickers to justice.

I have been at the forefront of efforts in Congress to combat human trafficking and sex trafficking. I was an early co-sponsor of the Human Trafficking Prevention Act, which aims to strengthen law enforcement tools and improve support systems for survivors.

This bipartisan legislation, signed into law in 2022, not only strengthens law enforcement capabilities, but also requires the posting of information about the National Human Trafficking Hotline in visible locations in a variety of public places, including federal buildings, U.S. aircraft lavatories, airports, bus stations, trains, and ports of entry.

This ensures that help is just a phone call away for those who need it.

It is imperative that we continue to support these initiatives, both at the state and federal levels. Funding for victim services and prevention education cannot be episodic, but must be sustained and increased. We need every school, every law enforcement agency, and every community organization to be involved in these efforts.

Let’s be clear: Combating human trafficking is not just about law enforcement; it’s about community engagement. It’s about recognizing that behind every statistic is a person, a life shattered by profound trauma.

We must come together to protect, prevent and prosecute, to ensure our region is safe for all its residents.

Additionally, having grown up in Goose Creek and having lived in the Lowcountry my entire life, I have seen firsthand the impact of human trafficking on our communities. The stories of young women and men lured and forced to face unimaginable horrors are heartbreaking.

By creating a strong support system for victims that addresses their immediate and long-term needs, we can provide them with a path to recovery and reintegration.

Additionally, we must advocate for policies that target the root causes of trafficking, such as poverty and lack of education, which traffickers often exploit.

Only by addressing these underlying issues can we hope to eliminate human trafficking worldwide, starting with the United States.

Mace represents South Carolina's 1st Congressional District, which includes Charleston and Beaufort.