KENT COUNTY, Mich. — As January comes to a close, it’s crucial to shine a light on an issue affecting communities worldwide — and here in Kent County.
This month is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. It's a hidden problem that impacts hundreds of thousands of individuals, often without the awareness of the community.
That is why in 2021, the Kent County Sheriff's Office collaborated with Safe Haven Ministries to establish the West Michigan Human Trafficking Coalition. This effort is primarily focused on holding offenders accountable while providing necessary support to survivors.
Rachel VerWys, CEO of Safe Haven Ministries, emphasizes the importance of survivor input: “We’ve listened and we’ve learned and let survivors speak into the needs in our community, and also what would be the best next strategy work to do together.” The organization is dedicated to supporting individuals who have experienced domestic abuse and human trafficking.
Lt. Eric Brunner of the Kent County Sheriff’s Office explains that the issue of sex and labor trafficking is far from new: “The problem itself of sex and labor trafficking has been around for forever, for a very long time, as more resources have started to be dedicated to that.” He adds, “As a local law enforcement agency, you know, we're tasked with the safety and security of this, you know, Kent County and its citizens and visitors."
According to theNational Human Trafficking Hotline,there have been nearly 200,000 identified victims since 2007, highlighting an increasing demand for assistance. "We saw that need there the sheriff did a few years ago, and then implemented that team, which is still in existence. And our numbers continue to grow,” Brunner states.
The coalition consists of three investigators, each with distinct responsibilities, including a specialist in juvenile investigations and a liaison with the county jail, which typically houses around 950 inmates.
The team focuses on identifying potential victims by recognizing specific risk factors.
“Some are homeless; some have substance use disorder, past sexual trauma," Brunner said. "If it's a teen or a juvenile, they are a frequent runaway. They've been involved in the foster care system. So not just one thing in itself means that a person is being trafficked. But all those together raises a yellow flag,” Brunner explained.
Advocates like Becky Diffin from Safe Haven work closely with survivors to help them regain their identities beyond their trauma.
“This is not a person solely defined by their victimization but a whole person. Survivors are coming to us as moms, as family members. I try to view it as a whole person, number one,” Diffin said.
In 2023, the coalition identified 48 victims of human trafficking, a figure that doubled to 104 last year. However, these numbers represent more than just statistics.
“You know, statistics and data are a story, and it's a person's story, so behind every number, it is someone's daughter, sibling, mom, and so I think it's important to remember that one person matters,” VerWys added.
The coalition hopes to expand outreach in the coming years, with a $1.2 million grant coming to the Kent County Sheriff’s Office and Safe Haven Ministries, to coneinue support in and around Kent County.
As awareness grows regarding human trafficking, community efforts continue to shine a light on this pressing issue, reminding us that behind each survivor, there is a profound story waiting to be heard.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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