Advocates say trafficking often overlaps with domestic violence and urge more shelter and victim supports

Shaylin (Shay) Feld, an anti-trafficking and legal advocate with Haven (Gallatin County), told the Criminal Justice Oversight Council that human trafficking in Montana more often resembles exploitation by an intimate partner or family member than the media's stranger-kidnapping stereotype. She described multiple anonymized survivor examples to illustrate control tactics—economic coercion, isolation and use of drugs—and said local nonprofits are at capacity.

"In Gallatin County, we have had a huge growth, very rapidly. With that, labor trafficking is the most prevalent in Gallatin County," Feld said, then described survivors who were exploited while living in the county and who needed shelter, legal assistance, immigration help and long-term safety planning. Haven reported 23 clients last fiscal year who named sex trafficking as their primary victimization; Feld noted that number rises if one includes clients who present primarily for domestic violence or stalking.

Advocates urged multiple state actions: funding to create more emergency and transitional shelter beds (Haven has a 6-month limit and turning people away daily), increased crime-victim-compensation limits and extended reporting windows for compensation (the current 72-hour reporting requirement can exclude trafficking survivors), and training for judges, prosecutors, public defenders and probation staff so they can identify trafficking and provide trauma-informed responses.

Feld recommended tools for front-line responders (a trafficking-specific screening questionnaire) and more survivor voice in policymaking. Council members and the public asked about grant and funding opportunities and the challenge of providing services beyond well-resourced hubs such as Gallatin County.