The state’s top elected legal official said that the scourge of sex trafficking in the Lowcountry will only end after federal, state and local agencies collaborate to raise awareness and promote public education.
“Public safety is not Democratic, Republican or agnostic,” said Sam Olens, Georgia’s attorney general. “It’s public safety.”
Olens was one of several speakers to talk about the impact of sex trafficking in the Lowcountry at the Savannah Traffick Jam on Saturday at the Armstrong Center. More than 300 people gathered to hear from survivors, advocates and law enforcement about recent Savannah arrests in sex trafficking operations and initiatives to reduce trafficking here.
The event — which featured presentations from speakers, a resources fair and musical performances — was sponsored by Armstrong State University and the Savannah Interagency Diversity Council, a nonprofit that strives for social and cultural diversity in Savannah.
The Traffick Jam was all about raising awareness and recognizing National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, said Bill Gettis, SIDC president and chairman.
“Savannah has a high rate of human trafficking,” Gettis said. “We wanted to bring awareness to the community because a lot of people doesn’t know it goes on. When I tell people that Savannah has one of the highest rates in the country, their mouths drop. They say, ‘Are you sure? Are you sure it’s Savannah?’ It’s important to have an event like this to bring awareness and just provide information to the public.”
Twenty-four people were arrested and 12 victims were rescued as the result of Operation Dark Knight, an international sex trafficking ring that spanned from Savannah to Mexico and is the largest sex trafficking case prosecuted by the Southern District of Georgia, said Greg Gilluly, assistant U.S. Attorney.
“This is the real world and it’s crazy,” Gilluly said as he described the experience of a victim rescued during the operation. “It happened just three miles from where we are right now. It’s going on here. It’s going on in Macon and in Atlanta. It’s going on in these small communities and it’s not just international. It’s also going on with people who live in our city who are being forced by others. It’s little kids and adults.”
And last November, a Savannah man was sentenced to life in prison for his role in a conspiracy in the sex trafficking of minors. The FBI, Pooler police and the Savannah-Chatham police combined in an extensive operation that arrested Jeremy Grant, 26, who preyed on financially destitute minors by offering them food and shelter, according to First Assistant United States Attorney James Durham.
While sentencing Grant to life in prison, Chief United States District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood said that Grant’s conduct was “soul sapping” and that Grant committed “almost unfathomable actions towards human beings,” the Savannah Morning News reported.
On Saturday, speakers such as Olens, United States Attorney Edward Tarver and trafficking survivors Lanie George and Anna Malika discussed tips and tricks for helping to reduce trafficking in Savannah.
They stressed that the public can learn to identify certain situations or notice people who might be in bad situations. They said members of the public should not be afraid to call hotlines or reach out on social media if a situation or person arouses suspicion.
They also said that police organizations need better training to combat the issue.
Websites such as humantrafficking.org point out that trafficking can thrive at strip clubs or through use of fraudulent advertising that promises jobs as hostesses, domestics or work in the agricultural industry. People caught in sex trafficking may show signs of abuse, broken bones, critical illnesses or psychological disorders, or they might live or work at premises that are isolated, under surveillance or have barred windows.
Anyone who suspects instances of sexual exploitation is encouraged to call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888.