ROCKY HILL, CONN. (WTIC Radio)-Hartford Chief State's Attorney Sharmese Walcott and Krystal Rich, Executive Director of the Connecticut Children's Alliance have announced the formation of the Regionalized Human Trafficking Recovery Taskforce, looking to eliminate the sexual and labor abuse of children and adults.
The collaborative effort involves, prosecutors, state agencies, law enforcement and other groups looking to protect those victims.
In 2022, Connecticut reported 92 cases involved child trafficking. Officials said the number of cases are likely much higher.
"It's time to bring law enforcement and victim services together. We want to be trauma-informed. Victims have special needs. These are not
people who just want to be saved and rescued.
The cases are complex. We have to address where they're at," said Walcott.
Manchester Police Chief William Darby said the law enforcement effort will involve the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigation in Manchester. Nine Capitol area police departments will work out of the hub that tracks online computer crimes, including the abuse of children and adults.
"One of the most significant things about this task force is the understanding of how we're going to define success," Rich said. "It's not always just about the arrest or the investigation or the prosecution. It's also about making sure that the appropriate services are put into place for the victims and that they get what they need in order to be able to survive and ultimately thrive. This task force is very much focused on both increasing prosecutions but also making sure much-needed services are available to victims."
