When we think of human trafficking we often imagine migrants crammed in ships or trucks struggling to gain entry into a different country. But the reality of trafficking is much different.

Ohio has the fourth-worst record for human trafficking in the country. A study released by the University of Cincinnati in March of this year identified 1,032 trafficking victims between 2014 and 2016. An additional 4,209 people were at risk of being trafficked. But sadly, those numbers are believed to be much higher. Only a small percentage of victims are properly identified by law enforcement and social service agencies.

What’s more shocking is that 86% of these were minors, largely female. Domestic abuse, homelessness, truancy, and drug uses are some of the more common gateways to the world of trafficking which can include sex work and manual labor.

To discuss this troublesome topic, we welcome Esther Flores (CEO of 1DivineLine2Health), Melissa Rienhard (Commercial Services Director at CleanTurn), and host JoAnne Viviano (Health and Medicine Reporter at The Columbus Dispatch).

Recorded on July 31, 2019 at the Boat House at Confluence Park in Columbus, Ohio.