AIKEN, S.C. – Following the release of South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force’s annual report, victim advocates are renewing their pleas for a shelter to house minors. Per the state’s report, over 90% of South Carolina’s human trafficking victims are minors. However, there’s just one shelter in the entire state that is authorized to host underage human trafficking victims. That shelter is the Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons in Aiken.
Capt. Sherri Smith of the Horry County Sheriff’s Office is a member of the task force. She said it’s paramount to know the way in which our digital world is influencing how predators find their victims.
“A lot of times, it’s someone that they meet online. They’re being groomed, and they meet them online and then they decide to meet up for whatever reason. You know, ‘Your parents are too strict. If you come stay with me, I’ll let you do whatever you want,’” Smith said. “And these kids don’t know what they’re getting themselves into. They think, ‘Oh, I’m in love with this person and I want to go be with them.’”
