(COLUMBIA, S.C.) The 2024 Annual Report was presented in the State House today by South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who is also the chair of the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force. He was joined at the release by federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as Task Force leadership. Data illustrating the scope of human trafficking in South Carolina is shared in the paper.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division looked into 285 tips in 2024, including those involving almost 400 possible victims. Most of the tips that were looked into involved young victims. Additionally, according to SLED data, 40 counties had human trafficking investigations; just six of those counties did not disclose a case. Greenville (32), Richland and Charleston (31 each), Horry (22), Lexington (21), Berkeley (18), and Spartanburg (16) are the counties with the highest number of investigations in 2024.
A total of 111 probable victims and 64 trafficking occurrences were reported by the National Human Trafficking Hotline. In terms of incidences reported, Greenville, Horry, Richland, Spartanburg, and Charleston are the top five counties. According to the Hotline, hotels and motels rank first for sex trafficking, while small companies rank first for labor trafficking.
Attorney General Wilson expressed gratitude for the combined work of numerous individuals in South Carolina’s anti-human trafficking initiatives. When it comes to dealing with this horrible crime, our state remains a model.
The General Assembly allocated $6.5 million in 2024 to provide residential programming tailored to the needs of young victims. In 2025, the Task Force will begin a grant program to create at least three programs for girls and one for boys, while it maintains its efforts to prevent human trafficking. The boys’ program will be South Carolina’s first of its type.
According to the data, traffickers in South Carolina are mostly targeting young people, stated Task Force Director Kathryn Moorehead. The first stage of making sure that abused children and young people receive the treatment they require will soon start.
Today, SLED Chief Mark Keel, the First Lady of South Carolina, Peggy McMaster, State Task Force Subcommittee chairmen, regional task force chairmen, nonprofit leaders, and other anti-human trafficking supporters joined Attorney General Alan Wilson.
Please visit the State Task Force website at humantrafficking.scag.gov to view the annual report. For victim services or to report an incidence, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888. The Hotline is open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and is confidential.