Human Trafficking Awareness Month

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn (WDEF) – Love’s Arm outreach  is a local non profit organization that helps human trafficking victims safely find a way out. 

Human trafficking is everywhere, even here in Hamilton County and officials say that Chattanooga is a very big hub for trafficking-due to the close proximity to a major interstate system. 

“Chattanooga is enroute to the East coast. The East coast is a primary route of big business commerce in our country. You go straight up through Chattanooga, to the east coast, to Washington D.C. , Boston, New York City and all points in between,” says Mimi Nikkel, Executive Director of Love’s Arm Outreach. 

The Executive Director of the organization says trafficking has been on the rise since the Covid-19 pandemic began and there are four problem areas in our county.

1. Hotels & Motels, 2. Pimping, 3. Massage Parlors and the 4th is escort services.

“People want to know what it looks like, well it looks like you and me. We cant put a stamp on what a trafficking victim look like or what a person looks like that may be trapped in trafficking prostitution or addictive behaviors. We are humans and we all look alike,” says Nikkel.

If you are a victim of human trafficking and want help – you can call Love’sArm at  423-500-0400 or call the national human trafficking hotline at 1 (800) 373-7888.

To get more about human trafficking or to learn how you can help by volunteering with Love’sArm click here.