Bringing hope to victims of sex trafficking across the CSRA
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Last week, News 12 uncovered new details about the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigation looking into possible sex trafficking at massage parlors in Aiken County.
During the raid in August, no one was arrested. But Dec. 8 in an undercover sting, SLED did arrest and charge Ping Tang, who is connected to several of the massage parlors.
It’s not just happening at certain places. Advocates, like Dominique, say trafficking is everywhere.
“Most victims know their traffickers or have a relationship with their traffickers. So it’s not like we can’t even tell our kids stranger danger anymore because it’s not a stranger,” said Dominique.
Numbers are high in the state of South Carolina.
There were 419 cases total of human trafficking in 2022, and 399 of them involved those who Dominique believes are most at risk— minors.
“They don’t know they’re being trafficked because trafficking now looks like it’s a relational crime,” she said.
She said it’s someone who is meeting their basic needs.
“Whether it’s food, shelter, clothing, and even love. They promise them that and then at one point, the relationship changes to now you have to pay,” said Dominique.
It’s why Dominique is making it her mission to make the community aware of the signs until she can open the only residential safe home for girls in Aiken County.
It’s called “The Bridge 2 Home.”
“The kid who flips when they’re in school, and they have these bad behaviors and you don’t understand where that came from, or that kid in the classroom, for some reason cannot stay awake. It could be they couldn’t stay awake because they worked all night and then they came to school,” she said. “They can be in your church. They can be going to school every single day. Homeless kids are at risk of being trafficked, as well as the LGBTQIA+ community.”
“The Bridge 2 Home” is expected to have its doors open by fall 2024.
For more information on how to get connected or to help, click here. If you or someone you know are victims of trafficking or need help, call 888-373-7888.
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