Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) released a new Human Trafficking Statistical Report last week, revealing a sharp increase in human trafficking of minors in Tennessee in a five-year period.
The report, which was the first of its kind released in more than a decade, revealed there were 518 minor sex trafficking reports by November 5, and the agency notes that reports of minor sex trafficking “dramatically increased from 66 in 2016 to over 600 by 2021,” which is an increase of 809 percent. Similar numbers were reported in 2022 and 2023.
TBI found that “minor sex trafficking far exceeds the other forms of trafficking reported” in 2023, revealing an additional 180 reports of adult sex trafficking, 78 reports of human trafficking, 43 reports of labor trafficking, and 333 reports that do not fall under those categories.
Social services employees or other advocates made the most reports, while concerned citizens were responsible for the second most reports, followed by those made directly by victims or survivors, family, and law enforcement.
In 2023, the TBI found the most common age group for tips regarding potential victims was 13 to 17, though the majority of tips did not contain information regarding ages. The agency explained that not every tip develops into a case.
The report is the product of a law passed during last summer’s special legislative session, which mandates the TBI compile an annual report of human trafficking in the state. The Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition supported it, and the group told The Tennessee Star the new report justifies its work.
“We are very proud of the work we did for Special Session with the General Assembly and Governor Lee that resulted in the law that requires this annual report. The previous report had not been conducted in over a decade,” said the group’s board in a statement to The Star.
The statement commended “Governor Lee, his team, Leaders Jack Johnson and William Lamberth, Senate Majority Caucus Chair Ken Yager and Assistant Majority Leader Mark Cochran,” declaring they should be “singled out for their leadership on this issue.”
“This report is a great start and we’ve always viewed this as a baseline and subsequent reports will demonstrate the progress being made as new legislation over the next session is enacted,” the Tennessee Faith and Freedoms Coalition said. “Our takeaway is that it shows an unfortunate spike in child trafficking. It also demonstrates what we knew from the start, that TBI needs additional resources pertaining to data collection and additional agents.”
“We are committed to advocating that TBI receive those additional resources and we’ll never rest until not a single child, woman, or man in the state of Tennessee is victimized by this scourge of child and human trafficking.”
Aaron Gulbransen, the executive director of the Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition, told The Star the group plans to use the report to “completely gut the human trafficking industry in Tennessee” during the upcoming legislative session.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Editor’s note: Aaron Gulbransen was a reporter at The Tennessee Star prior to his position as Executive Director of the Tennessee Faith and Freedom Coalition.
