Commissioners also recognize retired veteran and local children's advocate during first meeting of 2024
The Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners presented a proclamation during its Jan. 17 Board meeting declaring January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Accepting the recognition was Charles Klug, chair of the Commission on Human Trafficking. The commission was created in 2019 by the Board to promote public awareness about human trafficking within Hillsborough County, among other goals.
According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, Florida ranks third in the nation for the number of calls to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, and the Tampa Bay area still serves as a hub for trafficking. For the past four years, the Hillsborough Commission on Human Trafficking has supported local, statewide, and federal efforts to identify opportunities to assist human trafficking survivors, including by improving outcomes through data collection, sharing, and analysis.
After accepting the proclamation, Klug thanked the Board for recognizing the work he and his staff have accomplished, and said that the commission's dedication to eradicating human trafficking is an ongoing process.
"This is something that we look at throughout the year, ways we can stomp out this scourge, this crime, and how we could end this," he said. "And the big part of that is human awareness, creating awareness and education to the public."
The Board also presented two commendations. The first was to Carrie Nero, a retired Army brigadier general well renowned for her service to the nation's military, public health, and veterans. The second was to Tonya Lewis, a local a community and children's rights advocate who was recognized for her life of service and her fortitude in her fight against cervical cancer.
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