“I want to thank our Pasco County Commission of Human Trafficking for Awarding me Volunteer of the year” said Perez during a press Conference held at the Pasco County Utilities Administration Building, Cotee Conference Room located at 19420 Central Boulevard in Land O' Lakes. “I am humbled and must express how privileged I am to assist an amazing group of people who are making a difference through our community bringing awareness of a problem that affects all of us and it happens right in our own backyard!” said Perez. Last month, January was National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month but the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking works throughout the year.

Speakers included Pasco County Commission Vice Chairman Ron Oakley Shahra Anderson, Regional Director, U.S. Senator Bill Nelson's Office U.S. Congressman Gus Bilirakis Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco Florida State Representative Danny Burgess.

The International Labor Organization estimates 40 million men, women and children are victims of human trafficking worldwide.

Florida ranked third in the nation in the number of reported cases of human trafficking in 2016. The purpose of the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking is to 1) promote public awareness of the existence of human trafficking within Pasco County; 2) establish, through relationship building within the community, education programming opportunities for the public and key industries to recognize the indicators of human trafficking and learn to report suspected human trafficking; and 3) advocate strategies, financially and otherwise, to aid rescued victims of human trafficking.
The Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking shall be composed of a County Commissioner, two representatives of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office with one being an officer with the Child Protective Unit, a representative of the Pasco County School District, and 5 other individuals, each representing at least one of the following segments of our community:

A. Community/Victim Services
B. Tourism Industry
C. Hospital/Medical Profession
D. Religious Institutions
E. Human Trafficking Community Advocate

Learn more about human trafficking and the efforts to combat this form of modern slavery by visiting the Polaris Project at: the Polaris Project Online.