LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – KSP’s newly released ‘Crime in Kentucky’ report covers a wide range of serious crimes committed across the commonwealth.
While human trafficking crimes make up a small percentage of overall offenses in Kentucky (0.03%), they’ve made the biggest jump, percentagewise. The report shows a nearly 40 percent rise from 2022 to 2023.
“I think it’s probably we are doing a better job of tracking and identifying (human trafficking),” said Jani Lewis, who serves as executive director for Natalie’s Sisters in Lexington. “But then also too, I think the numbers are higher.”
Natalie’s Sisters works to support women who have been trafficked or sexually exploited through outreach at adult clubs and on the streets. Lewis says the upward trend is reflected in their drop-in center in Lexington’s east end.
“Last year, I think we saw 400 women at the drop-in center,” Lewis said. “This year, we’ve seen almost 400 women to date, in the first six months.”
Lewis says while human trafficking is often portrayed as a random, violent encounter out on the roads or somewhere in public, that is rarely what the crime actually looks like here in Kentucky.
“There’s ‘Romeo’ trafficking where a boyfriend makes a connection with somebody and says all the right things,” said Lewis. “There’s parents, there’s familial trafficking. Girls come in and…their parents sold them, or have given them to somebody in exchange for a pack of cigarettes.”
Lewis says people should always be wary of the possibility of stranger abductions, but she says the bigger problem is being lived out every day in the state.
It’s not what we think, it’s not like in the movies,” Lewis added.
She says what they’re seeing ever since the pandemic is more people being brought into the state.
“People who are ending up here with a failed relationship or whatever economic issues are bringing them here,” said Lewis.
She notes that they’ve served around 1,500 women since the start of the pandemic. So, while these increases are cause for concern, it leaves her knowing they’re fulfilling an important need.
“We want to see the numbers come down, but we’re also grateful to be there for when new ladies need to come in,” Lewis said.
