Executive Summary
- Senate Bill 7064 mandates all Florida state-funded agencies to report human trafficking data to the USF TIP Lab.
- The new TIPSTR database estimates 500,000 residents have faced labor exploitation and 200,000 have faced sex trafficking.
- Data indicates minors comprise 50% of sex trafficking victims and 25% of labor trafficking victims in the study.
- The initiative aims to correct misconceptions, noting that most traffickers are known to their victims rather than strangers.
- Law enforcement is utilizing the centralized data to target illicit businesses and improve cross-jurisdictional coordination.
TAMPA, Fla. – A comprehensive data reporting system mandated by state legislation has provided Florida officials with an unprecedented view into the scope of human trafficking, revealing that an estimated 700,000 current residents have been subjected to labor or sexual exploitation. The findings, released in the 2024 TIPSTR Report, stem from the implementation of Senate Bill 7064, which seeks to centralize fragmented crime data to bolster law enforcement and victim services.
Passed in 2023, Senate Bill 7064 requires all Florida state and local government agencies, as well as nongovernmental organizations receiving public funding, to submit human trafficking data to the University of South Florida’s Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Risk to Resilience Lab. According to the report, this mandate led to the creation of TIPSTR, a statewide repository designed to standardize anonymous data across jurisdictions.
Researchers at the University of South Florida, who manage the database, aggregated information from over 30 state agencies and nonprofits, including the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Department of Children and Families. To supplement agency reports, the team conducted a representative self-report survey of 2,500 residents. The data indicates that approximately 500,000 residents have experienced exploitation at work, while an estimated 200,000 have been trafficked for sex. The study noted that minors accounted for half of those trafficked for sex and a quarter of those exploited for labor.
The report challenges common misconceptions regarding trafficking methodologies. While public perception often focuses on violent abduction, researchers Shelly M. Wagers and Joan A. Reid noted that traffickers frequently utilize coercion, economic dependency, and emotional manipulation over extended periods. The data suggests that most victims are exploited by individuals known to them, such as family members, intimate partners, or employers, rather than strangers.
The TIPSTR system is also being utilized to enhance operational responses. Law enforcement agencies have begun using the cross-agency data to identify illicit operations, such as unregulated massage businesses, and to connect disparate cases. Additionally, a program known as BRIGHT (Bridging Resources and Information Gaps in Human Trafficking) has been established to link survivors directly with essential services, including housing and mental health counseling.
Strategic Legislative Impact
The implementation of the TIPSTR database represents a significant shift in the criminological approach to human trafficking, moving from reactive investigation to data-driven strategy. By mandating the centralization of data from fragmented agencies, the state has created a mechanism to uncover the “dark figure” of crime—offenses that traditionally go unreported to police. This structural change allows for a more precise allocation of law enforcement resources and victim services, potentially serving as a model for other states grappling with the complexities of measuring and combating hidden exploitation economies.
