Metro Atlanta’s reputation of a hub for modern-day sex trafficking has gotten plenty of press over the years. Now the city is doing something about it.
This week, the City of Atlanta announced that it will be a part of creating a first-ever citywide approach to prevent sex trafficking. The initiative is part of the Pathways to Freedom city competition.
Atlanta will join three other cities across the United States in the competition, including Chicago, and Minneapolis. The trio of cities will receive funding and a senior fellow who will collaborate with city agencies on solutions to trafficking.
The Pathways to Freedom city challenge is gets its funding from the Partnership for Freedom, a public-private partnership by Humanity United.
“Every year, thousands of children, women and men fall prey to the insidious practice of human trafficking. Whether these victims are entrapped in or transported to Atlanta, we know that our city faces a human trafficking challenge disproportionate to its size,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a statement.
She added: “I am pleased to announce that I will appoint a Senior Fellow within my Administration to further the City’s efforts to combat and eliminate this horrific practice. The Pathways to Freedom grant will also enable Atlanta to better address labor trafficking, which has traditionally been under-reported, and its survivors under-served. I am confident that together, we can be the strength for the powerless and the hope of the victims.”
“Cities have a critical role to play in the fight against human trafficking, and we are excited to support our winning cities as they develop new ways to address prevention and support for survivors,” said Catherine Chen, director of investments for Humanity United. “The impressive collection of applications we received is a testament to the growing political will of U.S. cities to lead the fight against human trafficking in their own communities. Atlanta demonstrates a serious commitment to addressing both labor and sex trafficking in a unique way. We are confident that the lessons that come out of Atlanta, Minneapolis, and Chicago will inspire and encourage innovation in their own communities and across the country.”