Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Human Trafficking topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lawmaker urges statewide action during Human Trafficking Awareness Month
Summary
Representative Tilton used a House floor special order to highlight January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month, cited hotline data and a 2024 Alaskan Beacon estimate about youth trafficking, and urged support for survivor services and prevention programs.
Representative Tilton told the Alaska House that Governor Dunleavy’s proclamation designating January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month underscores the need for prevention, survivor services and community education.
Tilton cited national hotline reporting and an Alaskan Beacon article from 2024 that the legislator said estimated about 30% of homeless youth in Anchorage have been identified as victims of trafficking. He named local organizations working on the issue, including Priceless and the Alaska Stop Human Trafficking Alliance (ASHNA), and asked colleagues to partner with those groups.
“Human trafficking is not just a distant problem. It is a reality that occurs in our own backyards,” Tilton said, and urged lawmakers to ensure schools, law enforcement and community organizations are trained to recognize and report trafficking. He also described community outreach during the interim that included public screenings of the film Sounds of Freedom to raise awareness.
Tilton recommended investments in counseling, legal services and job training to help survivors reintegrate. The House did not take formal action on his recommendations during the floor session.
