In the next five years, Phoenix officials hope to seat the city at the forefront of a growing nationwide movement against human trafficking and establish itself as a model for other cities, reports the Arizona Republic. The Phoenix City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a blueprint for a four-pronged approach uniting the efforts of law enforcement, victim services, training and community outreach.
Tuesday’s proposal was the product of a Phoenix human trafficking task force formed six months ago. In the past several years, Phoenix and other cities have come to a new understanding of prostitution. The women and girls who engage in the profession are committing a crime, but many are victims of drug addiction, poverty or sex trafficking. Phoenix plans a public information campaign to begin in January 2015, with a goal of creating a “cultural shift” against human trafficking by 2020.