The Monroe County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 7 proclaimed January 2026 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month and urged increased awareness, education and community support for victim services.

A county representative read the proclamation noting the Trafficking Victims Protection Act and cited global estimates of trafficking victims. The proclamation states the county encourages "increased awareness, enhanced education, and greater understanding of human trafficking" and calls for promotion of community resources to prevent and combat the crime. The proclamation listed the Board of Commissioners by name.

Representatives of Safe Monroe told commissioners the group will hold multiple awareness activities, including a "red sand" project that will place red sand in sidewalk cracks at the courthouse square on Jan. 14 at 12:30 p.m. Organizers invited the public to attend the free event to raise awareness and learn about local resources. The board approved the proclamation by voice vote. The commission did not take separate funding action in the meeting on this proclamation; related grant or program funding was not specified.