Human Trafficking in Dallas is Far More Prevalent Than Anyone Imagines

During the holidays, our lives are whirlwinds of turkey dinners, tinsel, rocking around the Christmas tree, and of course, Christmas gift shopping. However, this is also when we are the most distracted. This is the time when you make your quick trip to the mall with your little girl to grab last-minute gifts. When you’re captivated by the Black Friday sales that make you feel like you will lose money if you don’t buy that KitchenAid standing mixer, you might be too distracted to keep watch over your daughter. This is a potential way children can be taken and trafficked in Dallas-Fort Worth. During the holidays, shopping intensely to find the perfect scarf for your cousin’s gift can be the difference between holding your daughter’s hand and not noticing her being gone.

This is a reality of which not many Dallas residents are aware. Fortunately, advocacy groups and coalitions have come together to fight against the traffickers lurking in our city. The Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center has been fighting for solutions to this issue for 65 years.

“Every kid that is walking though these doors is a victim of a crime, whether that’s sexual abuse, physical abuse, human trafficking and then we work with their non-offending family members,” said Lana Ahrens, Director of Training and Community Outreach at the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center. “We don’t work with the perpetrator. That is handled by the criminal justice system.”

  The Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC) fights human trafficking in Dallas from multiple angles. Firstly, they are passionate about prevention. To further prevention, the advocacy center seeks out young adults to educate them on the dangers of traffickers so they can identify traffickers. The advocacy group also teaches young adults self-defense to help them protect themselves and others from traffickers. DCAC often teaches classes to young adults and professionals in their conference room. There, they host trainings, forums, and outreach programs to educate the public.

  “Throughout the year, we provide training for law enforcement, for prosecutors, for child protection workers,” said Lana Ahrens.

  In addition to training professionals and law enforcement, the DCAC also emphasizes educating children on the signs of a trafficker and how to defend themselves.

  “If somebody has been sexually abused, we can prevent the trafficking,” Lana Ahrens said. One thing we do is we go into schools. So, next week we are going to be in the Compel middle schools trying to educate kids on signs of trafficking, what traffickers do to manipulate, and red flags as well. Our focus is talking to kids about it and talking to parents about it so we can prevent it.”

Child trafficking is a large issue in Dallas. According to a poll by New Friends New Life, a child advocacy group, there are 400 girls on the Dallas streets every night. According to the DART anti-trafficking coalition, Texas has the second most cases of human trafficking in the United States and Dallas is one of the top-ten cities with the most human trafficking.

However, even with all of DCAC’s help, trafficking still runs rampant in DFW. On September 20, 2023, 134 arrests were made for illicit drug use and human trafficking, according to ICE. A bust of this magnitude seems as though it would make a large impact, but sadly it is only the tip of the iceberg. The human trafficking industry in Dallas is a $99 million industry, CBS News reported. This just goes to show that our priorities might be out of whack.

DCAC also sees the importance in other forms of attention to the issue of human trafficking in Dallas. The DCAC has police personnel on site for protection. Dallas police are stationed at the center creating a hub where a team of detectives or officers can dispatch immediately in order to conduct a trafficking bust.

In addition to prevention and protection, DCAC also emphasizes the importance of therapy. There are psychological professionals on site who meet one-on-one with the children.  There are also “play therapy” rooms in the facility assigned to specific age groups filled with toys that are appropriate for that age group.

In addition to DCAC’s efforts in South Dallas, there is another upstanding group in North Dallas with a goal to rehabilitate victims. Bob Williams founded Ranch Hands Rescue located in Denton, Texas to help rehabilitate victims of trafficking and sexual abuse. Plus, his center also provides a special type of support.

Ranch Hands Rescue takes in animals who have suffered abuse. The center helps animals cope with PTSD and other issues the animals suffer from. However, perhaps the most unique and special part of Ranch Hands Rescue is that the center connects the people who have suffered from sexual violence with their personal emotional support pets who have also endured similar trauma. With a furry friend by their side, the people at Ranch Hands Rescue have support they need to rehabilitate and heal.

Williams, being a victim of rape, homelessness, and addiction, struggled with PTSD, and wanted to help others who see no hope for a brighter future. Williams suffered from a stroke in 2007 which prompted him to retire. However, after beginning his retirement, he decided to build a sanctuary for victims of sexual abuse where they could be paired with animals who have been neglected and abused. In 2008, he founded Ranch Hands Rescue, a farm animal sanctuary for people who are victims of sexual abuse.

Amid ugly sweater parties, decorating cookies, and caroling, distraction is always a risk. In a large city, there are traffickers looming, and other dangers. Thankfully, upstanding groups such as DCAC and Ranch Hands Rescue are fighting against the evil of human trafficking, but remaining focused in the bustling Christmas season is one of the best defense tactics while celebrating the holidays.

For more information about Bob Williams and Ranch Hands Rescue, visit https://ranchhandsrescue.org/staff-counselors/.

For more information about the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center’s mission, visit https://dcac.org.

Source List:

Lana Ahrens – Director of Training and Community Outreach

Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center

Email: ahrens@dcac.org