MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Thursday that the state’s efforts to stop sex trafficking has been ranked as the best in the U.S.
The TBI said Shared Hope International, an agency that highlights the issues of sex trafficking, released its State Report Cards and ranked Tennessee at the top. The group said the state showed the most improvement over the past year, landing in first place with a B+ grade.
The group said increased funding and support for investigation and resources for victims can be credited for the improvement.
The group said Tennessee received an A grade for statutory improvements and criminal penalties. Tennessee got a B+ for improvements in prevention and training specifically geared to child welfare.
“I look forward to bringing my passion for victims and expertise on child sex trafficking to my new role in child welfare. There is still much work to do to ensure children are protected but DCS will partner with other agencies as we improve our collective response to sex trafficking,” stated DCS Commissioner Margie Quin.
“Over the past decade, Tennessee has made incredible strides to understand and address trafficking,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “We’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got work to do. That’s why we continue to innovate in our approach to investigating trafficking, support and train local law agencies, and partner with every stakeholder we can in this vital work.”
Mississippi received an overall grade of D from the group. Read the Mississippi report HERE.
Arkansas received a grade of F. Read more on the Arkansas report HERE.
More information about Shared Hope International and its State Report Card program can be found at https://sharedhope.org/.
Information about Tennessee’s public awareness campaign on human trafficking is also at https://www.ithastostop.com.