Fulton County task force to tackle sex trafficking ahead of Super Bowl

With the Super Bowl coming to Atlanta in under five months, the Fulton County Sex Trafficking Task Force is taking aim at curbing sex trafficking that occurs at major sports and entertainment events.

On Sept. 26, Fulton County Chairman Robb Pitts convened the Task Force and held a high-level meeting to discuss options and tactics.

“Our goal is to look at what we have enacted locally at Fulton County and see where we can expand to keep children and women safe everywhere,” said Pitts, who recently pushed through a County law that requires gas stations, convenience stores and restaurants to post information including a sex-trafficking hotline for victims.

 “People see sex trafficking as a social issue, but we want businesses to understand this is just as much their responsibility if trafficking is taking place in and around their establishments,” said Jennifer Swain, a member of the task force.

Dorsey Jones, a sex-trafficking survivor, echoed that sentiment. She says businesses can do several things to make an impact, including: educating employees; posting signage for victims; creating referral pipelines to report suspicious activity.

In addition to the issues surrounding the upcoming Super Bowl, the task force also began laying the framework for new proposed legislation to be filed in the 2019 session of the Georgia General Assembly.

The task force has already seen some success. Businesses are partnering with the group, including ad agencies to craft impactful public service announcements as well as outdoor billboard companies to reach the public. Governments are taking notice too. Sex-trafficking legislation has been introduced by cities including South Fulton, Union City and East Point.

Public service announcements are planned to air at airports and a documentary on the topic is in the works to be aired on government cable television stations.

“This is very serious and working as a team, with the Task Force and all the stakeholders involved, we are determined to end this scourge,” Pitts said.