Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel on Jan. 31 shared the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission’s 2022 Annual Report, now available at www.michigan.gov/mhtc. This annual report is provided to the governor and Legislature each year to summarize the Commission’s efforts.
The work of the commission is accomplished through seven committees: Data Collection and Research; Funding and Resources; Policy and Legislation; Public Awareness; Training and Education; Victim Services; and Courts/Summit
One of the biggest accomplishments was the continued work of creating standards demonstrated in the commission publishing the “Guiding Principles for Agencies Serving Survivors of Human Trafficking” and standardized data collection categories.
Residents can sign up online to receive commission updates.
The commission continued its training efforts by providing Sex Trafficking Investigations for Law Enforcement: Sleuthing Force, Fraud or Coercion-Dispelling the Consensual Myth, which will likely be repeated this spring.
The Commission, which works to direct state policy on human trafficking, is housed within the Department of Attorney General. The department works to combat trafficking beyond hosting the Commission.
Throughout the past year, Nessel has met with local organizations and law enforcement agencies to raise awareness on the signs of trafficking and joined a national bipartisan effort to protect trafficking survivors. Since 2011, the Department of Attorney General has provided training to more than 3,000 professionals and filed charges against 35 individuals for human trafficking, which all led to arrests. The department also has successfully convicted 29 people, with cases against several additional defendants pending.
Additional information is available at www.michigan.gov/mhtc.
