Report Ranks TN Number One In Fight Against Sex Trafficking

Image Credit: Shared Hope International

The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –

According to reports from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the state’s efforts to stop sex trafficking have been ranked the best nationally. 

Shared Hope International (SHI), an agency that focuses on the issues of sex trafficking, has released its States Report Cards and Tennessee was ranked number one. The state earned the first-place grade of a B+, with SHI stating that Tennessee had the most improvement over the past year. 

The group said the improvement is credited to increased funding and support for investigation and resources for victims. 

Statutory improvements and criminal penalties earned the state of Tennessee a grade of an A. Tennessee received a B+ for its improvements in prevention and training geared to child welfare. 

“I look forward to bringing my passion for victims and expertise on child sex trafficking to my new role in child welfare. There is still much work to do to ensure children are protected but DCS will partner with other agencies as we improve our collective response to sex trafficking,” stated DCS Commissioner Margie Quin.

“Over the past decade, Tennessee has made incredible strides to understand and address trafficking,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “We’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got work to do. That’s why we continue to innovate in our approach to investigating trafficking, support and train local law agencies, and partner with every stakeholder we can in this vital work.”

The reports of a couple of surrounding states can be found here:

Mississippi

Arkansas

More information about Shared Hope International and its State Report Card program can be found here.

Information regarding Tennessee’s public awareness campaign on human trafficking can be found here.

Shared Hope International says about the report cards on child and youth sex trafficking:

“Since 2011, Shared Hope has laid the foundation for transformational policy, practice, and cultural change by supporting state legislators and stakeholders to enact the minimum fabric of laws needed to address child sex trafficking. The Report Cards on Child & Youth Sex Trafficking build upon the last decade of progress, challenging states to take the next step in the fight against sex trafficking by focusing on the area where the largest gaps remain—victim protections. These materials provide an in-depth analysis of current laws and include recommendations to strengthen those laws.”

About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative  ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career.  Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others.  He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History.  Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com

One thought on “Report Ranks TN Number One In Fight Against Sex Trafficking

  • November 15, 2022 at 9:43 am
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    This report card is disturbing. The 2 F’s need to be addressed immediately. Youths are our future and need to be protected not exploited.

    Reply

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