Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced the formation of the “Statewide Council Against Adult Trafficking and the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children” in an X post on Friday.
The council’s purpose is to strengthen connections between state agencies, legislators, statewide organizations and judicial partners to create a “united front against human trafficking,” according to a news release from the Attorney General’s Office.
Nineteen individuals have been appointed to the council, according to the news release. State legislators, public safety experts, and leaders from advocacy groups including the Missouri Network against Child Abuse and the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence are named on the list of new councilmembers.
“The establishment of this council represents a significant step forward for Missouri,” Hanaway said in the news release. “When agencies, advocates, and public safety partners unite with a common goal, we strengthen our ability to protect vulnerable Missourians and support those working to combat human trafficking on the front lines.”
The formation and composition of this council is outlined in Missouri House Bill 2273, approved by Gov. Mike Kehoe in April.
Alongside the new council, the bill also created a Committee on Sex and Human Trafficking Training and a fund that will pay for the new council’s executive director and other administrative costs.
Assistant Attorney General Jeff Suddy will serve as the interim executive director of the council, according to the news release.
The fund outlined in the bill will also be put toward state-wide anti-trafficking efforts and education regarding human trafficking, according to the bill’s description.
The Committee on Sex and Human Trafficking Training, also outlined in the news release, has seven members, three of which are also serving on the new council. The committee’s role is to educate Missourians on properly identifying and responding to human trafficking, according to the X post.
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