By State Rep Annette Glenn

Human trafficking, one of the worst types of exploitation, is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world – second only to drug trafficking as the most profitable form of crime, according to the U.S. Department of State.

Earlier this month, I voted to declare January Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Michigan and to bring some light to this important issue that not only affects people in large cities, but also those living in rural areas.

Additionally, I was part of a joint committee of the House Health Policy Committee and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services where the focus was solely on human trafficking. We heard from human trafficking survivor Ruth Rondon, the executive director of the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission Kelly Carter, and Todd Reineck and Sue Lucas with the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

During that committee meeting, we had the immense responsibility of hearing Ruth Rondon’s story; Ruth, unfortunately, was roped into human trafficking at a very early age. It was eye-opening to hear directly from a human trafficking survivor about her experiences and how the system continuously failed her throughout her life. She showed a tremendous amount of courage and strength as she shared her story with us.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t until Ruth was jailed multiple times and started speaking about her experiences with others that she truly realized what her perpetrators had done to her. She was in fact a victim, not a criminal. It has taken her a long time, but through counseling and educating herself on the topic, she has come to a place where she is able to share her story in the hopes of saving others from ending up victims of human trafficking like her.

Even though these stories are hard to hear, I can’t begin to express the importance of discussion about this tragic topic. My goal is for all families in Midland and Bay counties to be aware of the reality of human trafficking and to help them avoid falling victim to it.

As your representative – as well as a mother to one daughter, three daughters-in-law, and six granddaughters – I am passionate about prevention and ending this crisis.
Human trafficking and every other crime we face in this state demand the most vigorous, aggressive, and effective prosecution possible.

I agree with President Obama’s attorney general Eric Holder, who said that not having someone serving as U.S. Attorney for half the state of Michigan is a major impediment to effective law enforcement, that includes ensuring human trafficking comes to an end in Michigan.

“Not having a Senate-confirmed head of a U.S. attorney’s office is a real major thing,” Holder said. “The offices really can’t focus in a way that with a Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney they can. Someone that comes in and sets priorities. There’s an accountability that a confirmed person has that an acting person does not,” Holder added. “The fact that they don’t have one for two and a half years… that’s just nuts.”
That is why I recently urged U.S Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow to stop preventing former Michigan House Speaker Tom Leonard – who happens to have bipartisan support – from being appointed as a U.S. attorney.

Leonard’s nomination has high-level bipartisan support, including Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel, both Democrats.

“I find Mr. Leonard uniquely qualified to serve our citizens as a United States Attorney. He possesses the leadership skills, character, and experience necessary to excel in this position and I strongly encourage the Senate to move quickly to confirm him,” Duggan wrote, while Hackel attested to Leonard’s “heart for service and seeking justice.”

With almost 400 reported cases of human trafficking in 2019, Michigan was near the top of the list of reported cases. And, we know there are many more cases that go unreported. It is imperative that we fill the position of U.S. Attorney and that Senators Stabenow and Peters work diligently to confirm Tom Leonard.

I would like to personally thank Ruth Rondon for sharing her story (including a less-than-ideal early home life, over 18 years of trafficking, and a long road to recovery) and the other survivors of human trafficking who use their awful experiences to help educate others in the hopes of preventing it from happening. These victims are sending an important message to survivors that they are not alone and there is hope.

Human trafficking could affect anyone. We need to be educated and aware of what’s happening in our communities all across the state to ensure criminals are being stopped and survivors are being supported.

If you, or someone you know, is a victim of human trafficking please pick up the phone and call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.

Human trafficking must end, and this starts with us.