Gwinnett facility aims to rehabilitate children exploited in human trafficking
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - Children subjected to human trafficking can sometimes fall back into their old lives of slavery, even after organizations intervene and attempt to get them back on their feet.
A new facility in Gwinnett County is under construction with the intent to liberate more survivors of human trafficking at the Department of Juvenile Justice.
State lawmakers and other government agencies on Monday marked the groundbreaking of the facility, which will house and care for sexually exploited children.
The facility includes 26 beds in a safe area while providing access to health and human services. The center will provide physical and mental healthcare, life skills education, outdoor gardens and gyms.
The intention of the facility is to help people affected by human trafficking to cope with their trauma and transition into society.
Human trafficking awareness and prevention has been a priority of Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp. Kemp and the GRACE Commission, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Administrative Services, launched Human Trafficking Awareness Training for state employees in January 2020.
"Holding traffickers accountable is only part of the solution to our problem," Kemp said. "The other is creating promising futures for those they have harmed."
There is a national hotline for people to report suspected human trafficking. If you suspect human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline 888-373-7888.
In 2020 the Receiving Hope Center opened as Georgia’s first residential intake center for trafficked youth ages 12 to 17 years old. Kemp said the facility has rehabilitated approximately 80 people since it opened more than one year ago.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has signed several bills into law this year, all geared towards combatting human trafficking. New laws help survivors get a legal name change to escape traffickers, requires schools to teach human trafficking awareness to students in 6th through 12th grades and allow survivors to sue their traffickers or anyone else who profited from their victimization in civil court.
WATCH: FOX 5 Atlanta live news coverage
_____
Sign up for FOX 5 email alerts
Download the FOX 5 Atlanta app for breaking news and weather alerts.