New Jersey’s S.T.A.L.L.S. program hopes to help human trafficking victims escape
Flyers with resources are posted in the bathroom stalls of participating businesses.
On the heels of two human trafficking rings in north and south Jersey being busted up this week, law enforcement officials want to bring awareness about an initiative to help end human trafficking.
Officials say human trafficking disproportionately impacts women and children. According to the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, the Garden State is considered particularly vulnerable.
"The FBI considers New Jersey to be a hub for this type of activity because of our location. Because we’re within reach of several major metropolitan areas including New York, Philadelphia and Baltimore,” Attorney General Matthew Platkin said Tuesday.
The Division of Criminal Justice’s Human Trafficking Unit was launched two years ago. The S.T.A.L.L.S. program is its newest initiative led by Platkin’s office.
Theresa Hilton is the Deputy Director of the Division of Criminal Justice. She praised the attorney general’s dedication to this work.
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"He launched ‘S.T.A.L.L.S. for Safety’ last year in an effort to connect with victims during what may be one of their only moments away from their trafficker - in a public restroom stall,” Hilton says.
The acronym stands for Sanctuary from Trafficking: Awareness & Linkage to Law Enforcement & Services. The signs, which are in both English and Spanish, can be found in public bathrooms across the state with resources accessible by Q-R code or phone numbers. The posters also ask guiding questions designed to help potential victims identify if they could be in danger.
Hilton says human trafficking often goes unnoticed.
"We know victims of trafficking are often hidden in plain sight. With S.T.A.L.L.S. we are endeavoring to meet victims where they are and offer a path to safety,” she says.
Platkin announced Tuesday afternoon the dismantling of two human trafficking rings - one in Cumberland County with suspects from Bridgeton and a second in Essex County with suspects from Newark and Irvington, where minors were involved. In both cases, the defendants are facing 20 to life for human trafficking.
Officials say If a business owner wants to add a S.T.A.L.L.S. poster in its restrooms, all they have to do is fill out a request form on the AG’s website.
