South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, Chair of the South Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force, announced the launch of a $6.5 million grant program. The General Assembly appropriated the one-time funding to support efforts to develop and expand specialized residential services for children and adolescents who have been trafficked.
“South Carolina lacks adequate resources to support minor victims of both sex trafficking and labor trafficking,” Attorney General Wilson said. “The $6.5 million grant program is the first step in ensuring that children receive the services they need to recover from their victimization.”
The Task Force posted a Request for Intent Application on its website as the first step in the grant process. Organizations that are interested in applying for funding will need to complete the application by 5 PM on February 14th.
“We encourage non-profits and state agencies with the capacity to work with minor victims to apply for the funding,” said Task Force Director Kathryn Moorehead. “These children are incredibly vulnerable and need programs that can provide an array of services to treat trauma, substance use disorders, and physical injuries.”
For more information about the grant program, please visit the State Task Force website at humantrafficking.scag.gov. To report an incident or seek victim services, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888. The Hotline is confidential and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
