Stronger Together: Tampa Unites to Protect Children from Sex Trafficking This January

SARASOTA, Fla., Jan. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Selah Freedom, one of Florida's largest anti-sex trafficking nonprofits, is calling on communities statewide and across the nation to take bold action during National Human Trafficking Prevention Month this January 2026. With sex trafficking impacting American boys and girls in every region of the country, the organization urges a unified response from law enforcement, schools, healthcare providers, clergy, the courts and community partners to protect vulnerable youth and support survivors.

Recent Florida child recoveries

The urgent need for coordinated action was underscored days ago when "Operation Northern Lights," a two-week, multi-agency effort led by the U.S. Marshals Service, safely recovered 43 critically missing Florida children, ages 1 to 17, from across North Florida and neighboring states. More than 80 personnel from 25 agencies, including federal, state and local law enforcement, social-service organizations and child advocates, worked together to locate the children, provide immediate medical care, food, shelter and counseling, and begin protecting them from further exploitation. Authorities reported nine arrests, with additional investigations underway into potential human trafficking, child endangerment and custodial interference, demonstrating both the scale of the threat and the lifesaving impact of multidisciplinary collaboration.

National Prevention Month and symposium

National Human Trafficking Prevention Month is a time dedicated to raising awareness, strengthening prevention, and advancing solutions to end trafficking in all its forms. To deepen local engagement, Selah Freedom will host a Human Trafficking Symposium, "Stronger Together: A Community United Against Trafficking," on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at the University of Tampa's Ferman Center for the Arts Auditorium. The event will convene testimony from a trafficking survivor and multi-disciplinary professionals, including Homeland Security, Hillsborough Sheriff's Office, Tampa Police and community leaders, to share best practices and collaborative strategies to keep children safe, building on recent joint operations such as Operation Northern Lights. Florida is the #3 state for sex trafficking.

Scope of sex trafficking

Sex trafficking is a multibillion-dollar criminal industry worldwide, with estimates placing the broader human trafficking economy in the tens of billions of dollars annually. In the United States, thousands of women, men and children are coerced into commercial sexual exploitation each year, and federal data show that the vast majority of trafficking cases brought to U.S. courts involve sex trafficking. Florida consistently ranks among the top states for reported human trafficking cases, reflecting both the scale of the crime and increased efforts to identify victims.

American children at risk

Contrary to common myths, many trafficking victims are American children who are recruited and exploited within their own communities. National data and child safety research indicate that millions of minors are at risk, with online grooming, prior sexual abuse and runaway episodes serving as key vulnerabilities traffickers exploit. Selah Freedom's experience shows that youth caught in "the life" are often first abused at a very young age and are targeted between ages 15–17, underscoring the urgency of early prevention and intervention.

Florida and Selah Freedom's role

Headquartered in Florida, Selah Freedom's mission is to end sex trafficking and bring freedom to the exploited through Awareness, Prevention, Outreach, Residential and Consulting programs. The organization closely partners with law enforcement, school districts, healthcare practitioners, juvenile justice and the court system to identify victims, disrupt traffickers and provide survivors with trauma-informed housing, advocacy, education and life skills. Over the past decade, Selah Freedom has served over 7,000 survivors and trained tens of thousands of youth and adults to recognize and prevent sex trafficking, with 87% of residential and outreach graduates not returning to exploitation.

Call to action

Selah Freedom urges community members to learn the signs of trafficking, advocate for robust prevention education in K–12 schools, and support multidisciplinary collaborations that include local, regional and national law enforcement, school districts, healthcare providers, clergy, and the judicial system. Community members, organizations and professionals are encouraged to attend "Stronger Together: A Community United Against Trafficking" on January 15 and to partner with Selah Freedom throughout National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and beyond. For more information, to request training or to register for the symposium, visit SelahFreedom.com.

Online registration for free Symposium

• Go to Selah Freedom's Training & Events section and locate the Human Trafficking Symposium listing for Thursday, January 15, 9–11 a.m. (8am registration and continental breakfast) at the University of Tampa Ferman Center for the Arts. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2026-human-trafficking-symposium-tickets-1781470759999
• Click the symposium event and follow the prompt to "Reserve your free seat" or equivalent registration button, then complete the short contact/ticket form to secure your reservation.

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SOURCE Selah Freedom