Targeting this problem in vacation spots is essential because of the high volume of trafficking that goes unnoticed. Many people fall victim to traffickers posing as hotel, resort, restaurant etc employment recruiters. Promised a job and once they reach their destination, they are stripped of their identification and forced to work where their trafficker maintains his/her business. Take for instance, California, harbors three of the worst cities for trafficking, Los Angles, San Diego, and San Francisco.
Honolulu, Hawaii is creating the Honolulu County Human Trafficking Task Force that is being funded by a grant they received from U.S. Department of Justice. 1.2 million dollars will go towards providing services for victims like emergency housing, counseling and basic necessities as well as identifying victims of both sex and labor trafficking.
“Sex trafficking is a serious crime that often goes unnoticed by the general public,” Attorney Kaneshiro says.