Bonneville County Prosecutor attends national institute to prevent human trafficking

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Sex trafficking is an ongoing national crisis and prosecutors say it's happening here at home.

The Department of Justice organized a leadership institute for the prevention of human trafficking. The meeting was held in New Orleans, and only command staff members from law enforcement and the prosecutor's office could attend.

Sixteen leaders were invited to represent the entire nation. Three were from Idaho, and one of them was Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Neal.

"I think the issues that we have are common across the western United States, which is we are seeing commercial sex activity in hotels, in illicit massage parlors, and in truck stops," said Neal. "Sometimes those are difficult to really keep track of because they can be mobile. So they may come in and work an area for a short time period and then move on."

Neal tells us human trafficking is not exactly how we see it in the movies. Where one minute you're living your normal life and the next you're taken. But rather, there is a grooming process involved. 

"What the traffickers will do is they will isolate these folks. They will take away their means of supporting themselves. They'll cut them off from family members or folks that can provide support for them. And then when you have no options that way, then you're forced to basically do what those traffickers are, you know, the industry that the traffickers are involved with," said Neal.

If you think you know someone involved in trafficking there are resources to help. Contact the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center at (208) 529-4352