Like Bay County, STAC has seen an uptick of cases here in Leon and surrounding counties since the pandemic began.
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)– Human trafficking is a crime that can be hard to spot, and with platforms like social media, it’s happening more than you think. January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The 14th Judicial Circuit Human Trafficking Task Force serves six Panhandle counties, and board member, Dr. Laurie Lawrence said the crime is on the rise within our community. “In 2020, we had the highest rate per capita of child victims in the entire state of Florida, and that number was 201, and we have increased by 40% in 2021,” Lawrence said.