Minnesota Advocates Say Sex Trafficking Reaches Statewide, With 400 Survivors Helped Last Year
Updated
Updated · KSTP · Aug 18
Minnesota Advocates Say Sex Trafficking Reaches Statewide, With 400 Survivors Helped Last Year
3 articles · Updated · KSTP · Aug 18
Summary
A high-profile Anoka County case is spotlighting what advocates describe as a statewide trafficking problem, with one Minnesota group saying it helped 400 survivors last year.
Breaking Free said trafficking extends well beyond major cities because Minnesota's airport, bus lines, trains and Lake Superior shipping routes make movement in and out of the state easier.
On a typical weekend, 213 to 500 people are advertised for commercial sex online in Minnesota, according to the group, though advocates say the true scale is higher because many survivors never seek help.
The former assistant Anoka County attorney's case produced 26 charges, but advocates said criminal cases are only the beginning and survivors often need long-term housing, counseling and job training.
Rural and metro trafficking can look different, advocates said, but poverty remains a major driver of vulnerability across Minnesota.