NEWPORT NEWS, Va (WAVY) — Virginia's Attorney General and Homeland Security wrapped up a two-day human tracking awareness event in Hampton Roads Wednesday.
The training was designed to help citizens spot victims of trafficking.
"I know that there is hope, I honestly do," said human trafficking victim Tanya Street.
In a dark room at the Norfolk Police 3rd Precinct, the focus was on a crime that lurks in the shadows. Human trafficking is everywhere and Hampton Roads is no different.
"Because of sea ports and airports, because of the number of interstates we have in Virginia and our central location along the mid-Atlantic coast it happening here," added Attorney General Mark Herring.
Herring has teamed up with Homeland Security's Blue Campaign to combat the problem. He says the majority of cases involved young women being sold for sex.
"When you talk with a victim of human trafficking, you get a real sense of the harm that can occur to somebody that has been forced against there will," Herring said. "They are robbed of their dignity."
Victims like Street, who says she got caught up in it because of a former boyfriend.
"What happened to me was horrific," Street said.
But Street has turned something terrible into positive. She's one of many who are now teaching the community how to spot potential victims.
"They need to know the signs what to look for and most importantly, they need to know what to do so an event like today brings partners together," Street said.
Law enforcement says people should look for women with bruises or who seem disoriented. There are times the woman won't know where she is. Another sign is when women will constantly defer to someone else.
Investigators say if the community can spot the signs, it will help them make arrests.
"We need everybody that can become aware that we can educate and get more information to be on the lookout for human trafficking," said Michael Lamonea with Homeland Security Investigations.
Herring says through June 30 of this year, Virginia has had the 12lth most call to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline. This year, the hotline has received 339 calls referencing 73 cases. The majority deal with sex trafficking.
Herring says the training started in Hampton Roads, but the plan is to branch to the rest of the state.
"We really want to get the word out of the shadows and into the spotlight," Herring added.