Civil Grand Jury finds human trafficking in Santa Cruz County as ‘unrecognized and unreported’
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) - The Santa Cruz County Civil Grand Jury's latest report focused on human trafficking, stating that more focus is needed to recognize and prevent trafficking in the county.
In the report, the Civil Grand Jury found that human trafficking "goes largely unrecognized and unreported" in Santa Cruz County.
They also found that at least one local service provider gets an average of five to seven calls per week from victims, with an estimated 200 human trafficking victims in any given week throughout the county.
Another agency reported that since 2022, they have served 20 victims who were minors between the ages of 12 and 18, with a third agency stating there are eight to ten cases annually.
Santa Cruz County Office of Education was also aware of two reported cases within the 2024-2025 school year and four suspected cases within the past three to four years.
The Grand Jury is recommending that the County make strides in increasing partnerships with local agencies to better respond to reports of human trafficking, coordination in handling such cases, and garnering additional funding for increased prevention support and public awareness.
