Executive Summary
- The National Human Trafficking Hotline has identified 1,166 cases and 2,562 victims in Oklahoma since 2007.
- Ascension St. John Hospital’s response program has assisted over 400 victims since 2018.
- Hospital staff receive annual training to recognize signs of trafficking, such as inconsistent stories or injuries.
- Law enforcement officials note that arrests are sometimes used as a temporary measure to separate victims from traffickers.
Healthcare providers and law enforcement agencies in Oklahoma are intensifying efforts to identify and support victims of human trafficking, a significant yet often underreported crime affecting the state. Data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline indicates that since 2007, the service has received 3,997 signals regarding potential trafficking in Oklahoma, leading to the identification of 1,166 specific cases and 2,562 victims.
According to hotline statistics, 2014 saw 255 signals reported from Oklahoma, with nearly 100 originating directly from victims or survivors. The reported cases encompass instances of both sex trafficking and labor trafficking. In response to these persistent figures, Ascension St. John Hospital has implemented a specialized human trafficking response program. Hospital officials report that the initiative has assisted over 400 victims since its inception in 2018, including 60 individuals in the last year alone.
Sara Gadd, the Human Trafficking Program Manager at Ascension St. John, emphasized the program’s focus on identifying high-risk individuals. "That could mean those have been confirmed as victims, it could be those that have very high-risk factors of becoming a victim," Gadd stated. She explained that the primary objective is to connect individuals with resources to extricate them from dangerous situations before they escalate further.
To facilitate early detection, hospital staff undergo annual training designed to recognize specific indicators of trafficking, such as unexplained injuries or inconsistent patient narratives. "We want every health care worker to look for signs and to know what they are looking for," Gadd said, noting that trained staff can call for a response team to intervene and discuss resources with the patient privately.
The complexity of addressing trafficking in the region was further highlighted by comments regarding law enforcement strategies in Oklahoma City. Jeff Coffee noted the difficult legal realities faced by authorities, explaining that in some scenarios, arresting sex workers remains a procedural necessity to ensure their immediate safety. "That may be the only way that I can get that person away from their trafficker for a certain amount of time," Coffee said.
Public Safety and Community Health Strategy
The collaboration between healthcare systems and law enforcement represents a critical shift in how Oklahoma addresses the clandestine nature of human trafficking. By integrating victim identification into clinical settings, institutions like Ascension St. John are creating intervention points that bypass the limitations of traditional policing. However, the reliance on arrest as a mechanism for victim safety, as noted by local officials, underscores the ongoing challenge of separating victims from perpetrators within the current legal framework. Continued focus on specialized training and resource allocation is essential to transition from reactive measures to proactive victim support. It is important to note that all individuals involved in criminal investigations are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
