District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert and the human trafficking coalition, Sacramento Together, recognizes January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and January 11th as Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Spearheaded by DA Schubert in 2015, Sacramento Together is an unprecedented coalition of more than 30 community-based organizations, law enforcement, state and local public agencies working together to combat human trafficking and exploitation in the Sacramento community.  The coalition works collaboratively to treat, educate and remove children and young adults from life threatening situations and maximizes community response and assets to better serve victims of sexual and labor exploitation.  It also works to increase public awareness about human trafficking.

Sacramento Together has conducted annual demand focused stings, called “Operation: Hot Spots.”  These countywide coordinated stings target sex buyers to reduce the demand side of human trafficking. Participating law enforcement agencies are the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, Sacramento Police Department, Elk Grove Police Department, Rancho Cordova Police Department, Citrus Heights Police Department and Folsom Police Department as well as the Probation Department, FBI and CHP. Victim advocates are involved in sting operations to assist with victim services if needed.  These stings have resulted in 57 total arrests for soliciting for prostitution, loitering for prostitution and pandering.

The “Reducing Sexually Exploited & Trafficked (RESET) Court” is a diversion program for young adult women arrested for sex work crimes.  The free program provides wrap around trauma-based services, life skills and peer mentoring that give women options to better their circumstances. The program also provides the opportunity to eliminate the criminal record for the offense, which in the past hampered efforts of those trying to escape a trafficking environment.  CASH (Community Against Sexual Harm) provides the wrap around services. To date, there are 191 graduates of RESET Court.

DA Anne Marie Schubert states, “I thank all of the Sacramento Together coalition agencies and organizations that make this unique partnership work for our community. I am proud of the progress we are making through the coalition and remain committed to aggressively prosecuting traffickers while working to protect victims and prevent human sex and labor trafficking.”

If the public suspects someone is a victim of human trafficking, they are asked to call the national Human Trafficking Hotline (1.888.373.7888), or 911 if there is immediate danger.

To request a DA speaker on human trafficking, visit sacda.org.

Recent Human Trafficking Press Releases:

2019 Operation: Hot Spots 

Defendant Sentenced for Human Trafficking