How Houston won the fight against human trafficking

Five-point initiative did the trick, says U.S. city official

Updated - April 24, 2018 06:07 pm IST - VIJAYAWADA

Minal Patel Davis, Special Advisor to Houston Mayor on Human trafficking presenting Houston's Anti-human trafficking Strategic Plan at the interactive session in Vijayawada on Monday.

Minal Patel Davis, Special Advisor to Houston Mayor on Human trafficking presenting Houston's Anti-human trafficking Strategic Plan at the interactive session in Vijayawada on Monday.

Officials of various departments involved in anti-human trafficking have had the opportunity to look into and learn the comprehensive strategic plan successfully implemented in USA’s Houston city which witnesses human trafficking, in the city on Monday.

At an interactive session on the ‘Houston City’s Anti-Human Trafficking Strategic Plan’ organised by U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad and Vasavya Mahila Mandali, Minal Patel Davis, special adviser (human trafficking) to Mayor of Houston, presented the success story of Houston city and its future plans.

Ms. Minal pointed out that the Houston anti-human trafficking plan has been developed with five objectives, including institutionalising response and implementing training at scale, raising awareness and changing public perception, coordinating victim services and engaging in direct outreach, implementation of joint HAC-HT initiatives and establishing Houston as a national model for anti-human trafficking efforts.

She said that the strategic plan helped Houston reduce the number of trafficking cases in the past one year. Interacting with officials of various departments Ms. Minal said that many departmental policies have been changed as per the recommendations of the City of Houston Anti-Human Trafficking Mayor’s Office (CHAHT).

Transit point

Commissioner of Police D. Gautam Sawang said that Vijayawada has been a transit point for human trafficking due to the advantage of its location and connectivity to rest of the country.

There is a need for coordination of all agencies, including government departments, NGOs and other organisations to effectively stop trafficking, he said.

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