A forum was held Wednesday in Pismo Beach to raise awareness of human trafficking.
The event, held at the cliffside Ventana Grill from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., had presentations from representatives of the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney's Office, the San Luis Obispo County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, as well as testimony from a survivor.
"It's really educational to help people to know what to look for," said LeeAnn Smith, CEO/director of Captive Heart Ministries, a 12-step nonprofit based in Pismo Beach catered toward women. "And to have an understanding that if they see a prostitute or a young woman out on the street, instead of judging her, understand that she is a victim and people don't choose to have that lifestyle, they don't choose to become addicted to drugs."
The presentations were meant to bring attention to trafficking issues on the Central Coast.
"It’s a natural corridor from LA to San Francisco and from the coast to the valley and so it’s very prevalent in our area," Smith said. "There’s a great need to recognize what’s going on and to have a place for these women to be rescued and put in a safe place where they can heal.”
Officials with the county's Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2014, made nine human-trafficking-related arrests during a single week-long operation in February of last year, Ayrton Ostly of KSBY previously reported. It was part of a larger operation called Operation Reclaim & Rebuild involving the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in which 413 total arrests were made.
"Our local anti-human trafficking enforcement operations are designed to reduce the demand for commercial sex that leads to exploitation of minors and adults every day in our community," San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow said in March of 2022. "A warning to those thinking about purchasing sex: please stop and consider that one million kids are trafficked for sex each year and you are making it more widespread."
It's unclear if departments within San Luis Obispo County participated in this year's operation. Departments with San Luis Obispo County are not listed in the operation's 2023 press release. Departments in Santa Barbara County are.
Resources for human trafficking can be found on the County of San Luis Obispo's human trafficking webpage.
