It is Human Trafficking Awareness Month and leaders in Montgomery County, Maryland, say they’re focused on educating people to recognize signs of the crime.

“Human trafficking cannot be solved by just police alone,” said Nick Augustine, assistant chief with the Montgomery County Police Department.

He said it’s important to involve social workers and local organizations in handling these cases.

“It will take an entire community to ensure, no matter who you are in the county, you can live free and safe without the fear of exploitation,” he said.

There were about 30 reported cases of human trafficking in Montgomery County in 2023, but Augustine said that’s probably far from the reality of how many cases there really were.

“That is a very low number. This is an extremely underreported crime,” he said. “We expect a lot more and that’s where we do a lot of proactive education and going out and doing investigations.”

Jodi Finkelstein, executive director of Montgomery County’s Commission for Women, said many people don’t realize that human trafficking is happening locally.

“It is happening right here in our own backyard,” she said. “It can happen in people’s homes. It can happen in hotels. It can happen in business establishments. It can happen to men. It can happen to women. It can happen to children as well.”

How does it happen?

“It occurs through fraud, force and coercion,” Finkelstein said.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline has detailed tips on who is most likely to be a victim of human trafficking and how to recognize the signs.

If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking hotline at 1-888-373-7888.