NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — January 11 is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and state leaders want victims to know there are resources available to protect them and their families.
One of the programs is called Safe at Home, which helps protect victims and their families from abusers by protecting their addresses from public record. Most home addresses are public information in Tennessee, which can make it easy for abusers to track and find their victims.
Victims are able to get a substitute address to hide what would normally be public. Once someone applies, they can use the new address for things like their license, voter registration and assistance programs.
Secretary of State Tre Hargett is encouraging not just human trafficking victims to take part in this program, but also victims of stalking, domestic abuse, or any sexual offense. It really could make a big difference in a victim's safety. Right now it's helping almost 600 victims.
In 2021 there were 152 human trafficking cases identified in Tennessee and each year there are well over a thousand tips and calls reported to the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline.
