Representatives from more than 10 different organizations came together Tuesday to highlight a need for an organized approach to human trafficking.
In 2015, the Montana Department of Justice tracked seven human trafficking cases in Montana. That number rose to 41 in 2021.
Authorities say it’s a growing issue in Montana that some citizens might not recognize.
“I think just kind of globally, in Montana we like to think that human trafficking and sex slavery don’t happen in Montana, because that’s a big city problem, and that’s just sadly not the case. I just got handed some new stats from the Division of Criminal Investigation. Just from last year to this year, we have seen a 65% increase in human trafficking investigations,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said.
