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Orange County highlights rising child exploitation during Human Trafficking Prevention Month
Summary
Orange County supervisors and local partners marked National Human Trafficking & Modern Slavery Prevention Month, cited task-force data showing 50% of identified victims were minors in recent years, and unveiled a UCI data integration pilot aimed at earlier identification and prevention.
Orange County officials on Jan. 27 marked National Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Prevention Month with a multi‑agency recognition and calls for stronger prevention and victim services.
Chair (speaker S1) opened the observance and gave the National Human Trafficking hotline number, 1‑888‑373‑7888, urging residents to “see something, say something.” Supervisor Katrina Foley (S3) said the 2026 prevention‑month theme is “connection saves lives” and introduced a University of California, Irvine pilot to integrate data across agencies to identify victims earlier.
Professor Jody Quas (S4), dean of social ecology at UCI, described the pilot as an effort to merge records from juvenile courts, social services and other partners so the county can better detect patterns of exploitation. “If we’re going to think about prevention and intervention, we need to know the characteristics of victims,” Quas said, adding that the pilot shows younger children are increasingly at risk and that technology‑facilitated exploitation is rising.
Reema Neshibi (S8), founder of Global Hope365, accepted recognition for her organization and cited the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force’s 2025 report. She told the board the percentage of identified victims who were minors rose from 36% in 2023 to 50% in 2025 and identified sextortion as a major driver of that increase. Neshibi urged countywide prevention programming and stiffer penalties for buyers of children.
Board members and panelists emphasized the trauma‑informed approach to victims’ care and thanked local partners — including the county social service agency, Waymakers and the Salvation Army — for their work supporting identified victims. Supervisor Don Wagner (S6) and others thanked the district attorney’s office, courts and nonprofit partners for their response.
The recognition included a call to expand education and outreach, and speakers cited recent collaborations with local school districts and community events aimed at teaching children and families how to spot warning signs. The board did not take policy action at the meeting; speakers said the pilot and task‑force work are ongoing and meant to inform future prevention programming.
