Evil Lurks – Trafficking Is Occurring in Alaska

WE MUST PASS HB 68

The topic of trafficking in the US ramped up last summer after the film release of The Sound of Freedom but the topic is not new to Alaska. I remember reading an article several years ago about a study that included Covenant House in Anchorage. I was shocked to learn that the per capita trafficking rate of youth was worse in Alaska than it was in certain major big cities in the lower 48.

Hearing stories about events in other places may cause Alaskans to feel empathy for those who experience this trauma but when it hits home, and we realize it is happening within our own state and communities, a sense of urgency to address it takes hold.

That happened to me when I read that article. When the Governor introduced a bill, HB 68, to deter trafficking shortly thereafter, I was eager for the bill to move. It was moved out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, partly due to my urging in the 2022 session but languished in the Senate Finance Committee, probably because the House Judiciary Chair had not moved the House version of the same bill which indicated lack of interest and support. I believe the bill sat because budget and PFD negotiations were likely a more important focus for these committee chairs. A similar scenario occurred in 2023 but because the make-up of the legislature had changed, this time the bill moved out of the House Judiciary Committee, but the Senate version made no progress out of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

I am determined this round in 2024 to do what I can to get the bill moving in the Senate. It is one of my top priorities this session, and I have shared this commitment at numerous public meetings in the past six months.

We look forward to advocacy this week by the Alaska Stop Human Trafficking Alliance (ASHTA) who will be in Juneau visiting Capitol offices. ASHTA has gathered information with partners such as Priceless in Anchorage and some of the statistics they’ve unveiled are staggering and disturbing.

• An estimated 27.6 million people are trafficked globally.
• US, Mexico, and the Philippines have the highest national recorded numbers of trafficking (recruitment and consuming). There is no way to know accurate numbers in US of trafficking victims, but it is estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands.
• Most victims are brought into the “trade” between the ages of 13-15 years old.
• The average time a victim spends being “sold” (read “used”) is 7 years, often forced to perform somewhere around 10 acts a day.
• The average pimp controls 5 victims, roughly making $200K per victim annually.
• Trafficking is the second-fastest growing crime in Alaska only to opioid abuse.
• Alaska native teens or young adults who travel to Fairbanks or Anchorage from one of the villages are often approached by a “tracker” within 72 hours on average after arrival.

As if these statistics weren’t shocking enough, Native American Women are at the highest risk of recruitment – constituting over 40% of all persons trafficked. Children constitute 20% of all persons trafficked globally, but that number skyrockets closer to 57% when talking about victims within the US. In fact, according to the US Department of Homeland Security, human trafficking has surpassed the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL combined as far as industry profits at $150 billion annually. It has even eclipsed profits made from the illegal arms trade.

While trafficking has been reported in all 50 states, Alaska is considered a prime “source” to traffickers from outside of the state. Those trafficked from rural Alaska are considered “profitable” within two weeks of their abduction. They may even be trafficked by a family member or boyfriend (sometimes a classmate) and often promised something other than money, whether access to substances or the mere promise of escape from current life situations.

So, what’s the solution? Along with increasing awareness as to the risk factors and warning signs, helping potential victims from becoming victims, and providing compassionate rehabilitation and protection for those who are rescued, in order to begin to eradicate trafficking in Alaska we’ve got another job to do right now. We must convince legislators to support HB 68 by Governor Dunleavy.

The transmittal letter for HB 68 explains what the legislation does.

It will not be easy or happen overnight, and it will be an uphill climb, but we must tackle this loathsome and detestable crime for the sake of the lives the predators will otherwise devastate. With enough people proactively supporting anti-trafficking organizations, pursuing justice for victims and their perpetrators, and advocating for strong policy to deter these evil crimes, we can eventually reduce and, hopefully, eradicate this heinous activity from our state.

(*Thanks to The People’s Paper – Aug. 2023 for sourcing additional stats.)