Executive Summary
- A key federal grant supporting victim services for the Ventura County Human Trafficking Task Force was not renewed by the U.S. Department of Justice.
- The nonprofit Interface Children & Family Services, which provides direct aid to victims, expects its funding to be exhausted by early 2024.
- While law enforcement operations will not be affected, the ability to provide immediate, on-scene support to trafficking survivors will be severely limited.
- Since 2019, the task force has assisted approximately 400 potential victims and investigated hundreds of related cases.
Ventura County’s comprehensive services for victims of human trafficking are facing a severe funding crisis after a multi-year federal grant from the U.S. Department of Justice was not renewed. The nonprofit Interface Children & Family Services, which collaborates with law enforcement to provide crucial resources, expects its current funding to be depleted by early 2024, jeopardizing its ability to offer immediate support to survivors.
Task Force and Funding Background
The Ventura County Human Trafficking Task Force was established in 2019 through an $800,000 grant from the DOJ’s Office for Victims of Crime. The collaboration between the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and Interface has since assisted approximately 400 potential victims of sexual exploitation. A second grant of $750,000 expired on September 30 and, contrary to expectations, was not made available for renewal under the Trump administration, affecting programs nationwide.
Impact on Services
While sheriff’s detectives state that law enforcement operations will not be impacted, the loss of funding will significantly curtail victim support. Catherine Pedrosa, Interface’s human trafficking prevention and intervention director, described the partnership with the Sheriff’s Office as “hand in glove” and stated the cuts “severely hampers our ability to provide the robust victim services that we have been providing.” These services include being on standby during law enforcement operations to offer victims immediate resources like clothing, temporary phones, and access to a hotline, shelter, and mental health treatment.
Challenges in Aiding Victims
Detective Nan Jiang of the Sheriff’s Office noted that connecting survivors to resources is one of the greatest obstacles in trafficking investigations. He explained that traffickers often use coercion and manipulation, targeting vulnerable individuals and convincing them not to trust law enforcement. Interface’s trauma-informed approach is designed to build trust over time, as it can take multiple positive interactions before a victim accepts help.
An Uncertain Future
The national anti-trafficking coalition Freedom Network USA issued a statement warning that the grant stoppage puts at least 5,000 survivors at risk of losing lifesaving services across the country. Pedrosa confirmed her team is actively searching for alternative funding from other government agencies and private foundations, but she noted that these sources do not compare to the amount provided by the Department of Justice. It is important to note that individuals arrested in these operations are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.