San Luis Obispo Board proclaims January Human Trafficking Awareness Month; DA highlights local prosecutions and services

The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 6 formally designated January 2026 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and heard remarks from the district attorney and victim‑services staff about local anti‑trafficking efforts.

“Over the last 11 plus years, we’ve made remarkable headway in combating trafficking in our community,” District Attorney Dan Dow said, recounting a complex 2025 trial in which three defendants were prosecuted in a multi‑defendant case tied to interstate exploitation. He described the case as involving the abduction and commercial exploitation of a 15‑year‑old and said the survivor is now on a path of recovery.

Why it matters: Supervisors and public safety officials framed the proclamation as a recognition of coordinated work across law enforcement, victim advocates and service providers, and as a prompt to sustain funding and partnerships that support identification, prosecution and trauma‑informed care.

Victim services: Jesse Yates, director of the Christopher G. Money Victim Witness Assistance Center, described the county’s coordinated response and urged continued collaboration. “These individuals are exploited through force, fraud or coercion,” Yates said, and highlighted that local services aim to avoid retraumatizing survivors while helping them access long‑term supports.

Board action and context: The resolution text notes estimates from national agencies about the scale of trafficking and affirms the county’s commitment to prevention and support. The proclamation passed as a presentation item; no separate vote tally was recorded in the public minutes for this ceremonial resolution.

What’s next: The county’s anti‑human‑trafficking task force will continue coordinated outreach and the board urged residents to participate in awareness activities during January.