ASU police warn of suspected sex traffickers targeting college parties
Apr 13, 2018, 4:30 PM | Updated: Apr 15, 2018, 4:13 pm
(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University Police Department)
(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University Police Department)
PHOENIX – Arizona State University police warned students Thursday of a growing trend that involved suspected sex traffickers targeting college parties.
According to the bulletin on the department’s Facebook page, ASU police were informed of the growing trend at other universities by law enforcement partners.
The post explains that suspected sex traffickers were attending college parties and events in an apparent attempt to recruit or coerce females.
The suspected traffickers would allegedly persuade victims into prostitution with the use of threats or promising exposure to the campus community.
The department was asking students to take the necessary precautions to avoid a situation such as this if it were to occur near the Arizona State’s campuses.
Students were being asked to practice safety with friends and on social media, as well as to trust their own instincts and avoid situations or unfamiliar places that may compromise safety.
According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were 181 reported sex trafficking cases in Arizona in 2017, 159 of which involved females.
Anyone with additional information or those who have been a victim of sex trafficking were asked to contact the Arizona State Police Department.
