Horry County highest in SC for human trafficking reports, 2019 AG report states
Horry County has the highest amount of human trafficking reports in the state, according to the S.C. Attorney General’s latest annual report.
The state’s Human Trafficking Task Force released its 2019 report Friday, and highlighted a 360 percent increase in the number of reported victims, with 678 recorded compared to 188 in 2018.
“The large increase in victims recorded speaks to efforts across the state to raise awareness of the National Human Trafficking Hotline number so victims know how to reach out for help,” Attorney General Alan Wilson said in a news release. “We also recognize that the regional task forces are better educating members of their communities on the issue, which in turn causes shifts in the top five counties each year.”
The report details that the hotline’s statistics do not represent a comprehensive report of trafficking cases in South Carolina, but rather signals and cases made to the hotline.
The report states that Horry County saw the most reports in the state, followed by Greenville, Richland, Dorchester and Charleston, but it does not specify the number of reports in each county. Horry County had 26 reports, according to Kathryn Moorehead, coordinator of the state task force.
Horry County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Sherrie Smith, who co-chairs the local human trafficking task force, said she sees the high number of reports in Horry County as a positive because it means the public has increased awareness.
“We tell people if they see something, say something, and they are,” she said, noting that being tops in the state in the state for reports doesn’t mean Horry County had the most human trafficking cases.
Statewide, 14 new defendants were charged with human trafficking in 2019 and 68 human trafficking-related cases remain pending, according to the report.
The human trafficking hotline in 2019 received 156 reports — up from 127 last year — with 106 of those reports being sex-related. The top venues for reports were escort services, illicit massage/health/beauty businesses and residence-based commercial sex.
The report also details regional task forces and their accomplishments. The Coastal Region Human Trafficking Task Force, which represents Horry and Georgetown counties, lists poster campaigns, law enforcement training and presenting to teachers at St. James High School among its 2019 highlights.
Goals for 2020 include holding a hospitality labor trafficking event, launching a website and expanding services for victims and survivors.
January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month, and the local task force has already held several meetings with plans on Saturday to have meet at 5 p.m. at the Myrtle Beach SkyWheel, which will be illuminated with blue lights to increase awareness.
This story was originally published January 10, 2020 at 10:43 AM.
