BOZEMAN- According to Missoula Police, 1 in 3 minors living on the streets will be approached by a pimp and be lured into sex trafficking. This isn’t just a national issue, it is hitting Bozeman as well.
Sex trafficking is when someone uses force to make an adult or child perform sex for commercial use. Valerie Edwards is the Sales Director for Springhill Suites in Bozeman. She says her hotel hosted a human trafficking seminar for employees to spot signs of sex trafficking. She says both adults and children being targeted are victims.
“They are manipulated and they are tricked. They are told things are going to happen to them if they don’t do what they are told so they won’t ever admit that they appear to be a victim even though they really are,” said Edwards.
The Bozeman Police Department says they see 10-15 sex advertisements each day and that most of these are due to sex trafficking.
“Although the majority of the girls we come across are from different regions. There are people from Montana and Gallatin County that have been trafficked and are probably being trafficked and they often find themselves in different parts of the country,” said Bozeman Police Detective Scott McCormick.
The police say sex trafficking cases are hard to prosecute because the victims are often labeled as dishonest.
“It’s really there is a fragmented memory, there is x amount of reasons why and to explain that to someone and say we can explain why that seems that way but that’s not the case. They are having a hard time because they are having a hard time because something really bad happened in their life,” said Bozeman Police Detective Anthony Hutchings.
Police say the best way to address human and sex trafficking is to spread awareness about the issue and try and get rid of any misconception people might have concerning the victims.
Call local law enforcement if you suspect any sex trafficking in your area, or click here to report online.
