JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — Human trafficking is something Jefferson County Assistant District Attorney Kim Pipkin says happens more often than you think. It can happen in many different forms, and she says it’s time to do something about it.
“Our youth in Southeast Texas are certainly at risk, like they are across the state, and across the country," Pipkin said.
Today Pipkin announced during a summit that she would be heading a new team called the Southeast Texas Alliance Against Trafficking. Their goal is to help bring those responsible for human and sex trafficking to justice.
“So many victims of human trafficking have been let down by the system. They've been let down by Child Protective Services, and they have been arrested by law enforcement. So the same people who now they are supposed to trust to come in and help them they now have trust issues with," Pipkin said.
A similar case in Beaumont last May attracted a lot of attention. Police say the Tulip Spa on Laurel was used to solicit sex with workers. Pipkin says with the formation of this team, victims of human trafficking should feel more empowered to come forward.