Milwaukee releases sex trafficking study

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – The Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission, the Medical College of Wisconsin Institute for Health and Equity, Rethink Resources, Milwaukee Sexual Assault Review, and Milwaukee Police Department – Sensitive Crimes Division  have released a report estimating the magnitude of sex trafficking of kids and young adults in the City of Milwaukee from the beginning of 2013 until the end of 2016.

Using MPD records data, 340 individuals aged 25 and younger were identified as having been sex trafficked, or were believed to have been sex trafficked in Milwaukee during that time. Because information required for further analysis was not available for all individuals, 231 were analyzed. 97% of the victims were women, 65% were black and 55% were kids when the first reported incident happened.

“We hope this report builds on current discussions around the issue and leads to additional collaboration with other agencies in order to gain a more comprehensive understanding of sex trafficking in Milwaukee so we are better equipped to respond and prevent it,” said Mallory O’Brien, director of the Milwaukee Homicide Review Commission and adjunct assistant professor in Institute for Health and Equity at Medical College of Wisconsin.

“This project highlights the great work that can be done when there is collaboration between systems,” Milwaukee Police Department Sensitive Crimes Captain Aimee Obregon said. “There are public health, medical, criminal justice system, child and family services, and social service agencies working together toward a common goal: to gain a better understanding of sex trafficking in the City of Milwaukee and develop strategies to address it.”

The full report can be found here.

Mayor Barrett's reaction to the study can be found in a PDF below.

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