Fla. Capitol to Illuminate Blue to Shine Light on Human Trafficking

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Attorney General Ashley Moody, beginning at 6 p.m. tonight, will light Florida’s Historic Capitol blue to raise awareness of human trafficking. Today, Jan. 11, is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day and January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Blue is the international color for human trafficking awareness and is traditionally worn on this day as part of the Blue Campaign—an initiative dedicated to raising awareness about the illicit enterprise.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “As Attorney General, I am committed to ending human trafficking in Florida. This is a momentous goal and we need as much help from Floridians on this mission as possible. To shine a light on these atrocious crimes and encourage public support, tonight we are lighting Florida’s Historic Capitol blue—the international color of human trafficking awareness.

“Illuminating the Capitol blue is a way to not only bring awareness to this unthinkable act of evil, but to show our unwavering support to the countless victims and survivors of trafficking. I hope human trafficking survivors and victims see the Capitol tonight and know I will continue to do everything within my power to pursue these heinous crimes.”

Senator Ellyn Bogdanoff, Chair of the Florida Alliance to End Human Trafficking, said, “As we recognize National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, it is important to remember that everyone plays a role in ending this horrific crime. Take a training. Learn the signs. Learn where to report suspected exploitation. Together, we can eliminate human trafficking in the State of Florida.”

In addition to lighting the Capitol blue, Attorney General Moody is joining Blue Campaign in wearing blue to highlight human trafficking awareness. Blue Campaign is a national public awareness campaign created to educate law enforcement, the public and other industry partners on how to spot and report cases of human trafficking. Each year on Jan. 11, Blue Campaign hosts Wear Blue Day to raise awareness of human trafficking across the nation. Attorney General Moody, as Chair of the Statewide Council on Human Trafficking, is encouraging council members and state lawmakers to show their support for ending this horrific crime by wearing blue and sharing their apparel on social media with the hashtag #WearBlueOAG.

For more information on Blue Campaign, click here.

Earlier this month, Attorney General Moody recognized National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Florida as preliminary data points to a potential increase in the illicit practice—noting the COVID-19 pandemic changed the way human traffickers operate their criminal enterprises, driving even more illegal activity online.

In addition to recognizing National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Florida, Attorney General Moody is continuing efforts to end human trafficking in the state by providing education and awareness to the public. Last October, Attorney General Moody launched the first ever virtual Human Trafficking Summit and set a record for attendance with more than 7,400 registrants from 43 states across the nation.

To access the Summit and the more than 16 hours of educational material, register online at HumanTraffickingSummit.com.

To learn more about how to spot and report human trafficking, visit YouCanStopHT.com.

If you suspect or witness any instance of human trafficking, contact local law enforcement immediately and then call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1(888) 373-7888.