Human Trafficking is happening in Virginia. Do you know the signs?
Explore our website and take the Human Trafficking 101 e-module to learn more about human trafficking in Virginia.
About the State Trafficking Response Team
In 2019, the Code of Virginia § 9.1-116.5 established a State Trafficking Response Coordinator within the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services. The primary purpose of this position is to coordinate statewide efforts to identify and respond to victims of human trafficking. The State Trafficking Response Team works closely with state and local agencies on initiatives to combat human trafficking and support survivors. The Team maintains a directory of service providers in Virginia and provides technical assistance to improve survivor support. E-learning, in-person courses, and educational materials are provided to promote strategies for education, training, and awareness of human trafficking. As it is enacted, the State Trafficking Response Team responds to additional legislation to support human trafficking prevention and response efforts in Virginia.
How to Report Human Trafficking
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In the case of an emergency, call 911 or #77.
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Report concerns to the Virginia State Police human trafficking tip line by texting "VSP" followed by the tip to 847411 or submit a tip online here.
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Report suspected trafficking of minors by calling the Virginia Child Protective Services (CPS) Hotline at 800-552-7096.
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Report suspected trafficking of adults age 60+ and incapacitated adults age 18+ by calling the Virginia Adult Protective Services (APS) Hotline at 888-832-3858.
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The National Human Trafficking Hotline provides support to victims and survivors 24/7. Call 888-373-7888, text 233733, or chat with an advocate online here.
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Virginia Victim Assistance Network (VVAN) operates a human trafficking infoline to provide resources to victims and survivors. Call or text 833-463-6448 or chat with an advocate online here.
Human Trafficking
Human trafficking is a criminal activity in which people profit from the control and exploitation of others. The federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act recognizes two primary forms of human trafficking: sex trafficking and labor trafficking. Human trafficking can occur anywhere, including in the United States and in Virginia. It affects people of all ages, genders, races, citizenship statuses, and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Sex Trafficking
In Virginia, sex trafficking is defined as soliciting, inviting, recruiting, encouraging, or otherwise causing or attempting to cause a person to engage in commercial sex with the intent to receive money or other valuable thing or to assist another in receiving money or other valuable thing. Traffickers may use force, threat, coercion, fraud, and/or drug addiction to control victims of sex trafficking. It is important to note that money is not always exchanged. Other valuable things exchanged for commercial sex may include, but are not limited to, housing, food, drugs, etc.
Labor Trafficking
Labor trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery. Victims of labor trafficking are manipulated, coerced, and/or forced into providing cheap or free labor for the trafficker. Common industries for labor trafficking are: agriculture, manufacturing, construction, domestic work, and hospitality.
Smuggling
In accordance with the Code of Virginia § 9.1-116.5, the State Trafficking Response Team maintains a list of programs that provide treatment or specialized services to victims and survivors of human trafficking.
Click HERE to visit the Human Trafficking Resource Directory webpage.
- Human Trafficking 101
- Human Trafficking Awareness Training for Hotels
- Human Trafficking Awareness Training for Colleges
- Human Trafficking Identification for Criminal Justice and First Responders
- Human Trafficking Investigation and Prosecution
- Sexual Exploitation Treatment and Training Services (SETTS)
Training for Healthcare Professionals
- § 15.2-1627.6 Coordination of multidisciplinary response to human trafficking (HB 581)
- § 18.2-47 Abduction and kidnapping defined; forced labor; punishment (HB 633)
- § 9.1-141 Powers of Board relating to private security services business (HB 203)
- § 63.2-1506.1 Human trafficking assessments by local departments (SB 12)
- § 16.1-269.1 Trial in circuit court; preliminary hearing; direct indictment; remand (HB 268)
- § 16.1-269.2 Admissibility of statement; investigation and report; bail (HB 268)
- § 16.1-272 Power of circuit court over juvenile offender (HB 268)
- § 8.01-42.4 Civil action for trafficking in persons (HB 1374)
- § 23.1-808.1 Human trafficking awareness and prevention training; first-year orientation (HB 1555)
- § 54.1-2928.3 Continuing learning activities (HB 1426)
- Chapter 556 DCJS; two-year pilot program; safe harbor for sex trafficked youth (SB 1292)
- § 22.1-24.1 Internet Safety Advisory Council (HB 1555)
- § 18.2-356.1 Purchasing or selling of minors; exceptions; penalties (HB 1699)
Throughout Virginia, local and regional collaboratives, task forces, and workgroups operate to improve the human trafficking response in their communities. Please contact us to have your group listed.
To connect with your local human trafficking multidisciplinary team (MDT), contact your Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.
| Collaborative / Task Force / Workgroup | Localities Served | Point of Contact | Contact Information |
| Fauquier Anti-Sex Trafficking Alliance (FASTA) | Fauquier and Surrounding Areas | Amelia Stansell | |
| Greater Prince William Human Trafficking Task Force (GPWHTTF) | Prince William County | Rachel Taylor | rtaylor@actspwc.org |
| Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force (HRHTTF) | All Hampton Localities | ||
| Loudoun County Youth Trafficking Prevention Task Force | Loudoun County | Michelle Smith | Michelle.Smith@Loudoun.gov |
| Lynchburg Area Human Trafficking Collaborative (LHTC) | Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, Campbell, Lynchburg | Stephanie Meehan | Stephanie.Meehan@djj.virginia.gov |
| Richmond Regional Human Trafficking Collaborative | Central Virginia | Bonnie Price | Bonnie_Price@bshsi.org |
| Southwest Virginia Trafficking Collaborative | Southwest Virginia |
Trafficking Response Coordinator Annual Reports
Additional Publications
State Resources
- Virginia Department of Labor and Industry
- Virginia Department of Social Services
- Office of the Attorney General
- Virginia State Police
Federal Resources
| To reach the DCJS State Trafficking Response Team: | ht@dcjs.virginia.gov | |
| For human trafficking college training related inquiries: | collegetraining@dcjs.virginia.gov | |
| For human trafficking hotel training related inquiries: | hoteltraining@dcjs.virginia.gov | |
| Join the DCJS human trafficking mailing list: | Subscribe here! |