Carson City Juvenile Services, Xquisite, and the Carson City Sheriff's Office partnered together to host a community awareness event on sex trafficking in Nevada.
Many showed up to hear from local experts in law enforcement and from advocacy groups on how to become more aware what sex trafficking may look like and what to do. All of them say it's not always what you picture it may look like in real life.
"A woman who's on the side of the street, there's signs and clues that would lead people to believe she's a prostitute, and they're used to that in your face very visual kind of sex trade," said Brett Bindley, Sergeant of CCSO. "That's not the sex trade we see here in northern Nevada, and I think that's kind of alarming to these people."
The executive director of Xquisite, Brenda Sandquist, says in most cases victims usually get trafficked by someone close to them.
"2% would be a stranger, the rest would be either someone in authority, or a family member, or close friend of that family. So the trust factor is huge," she said.
Sandquist says the youngest victim she's seen was 10 years old. She says 98% of the women she interviewed herself were sexually exploited at age 3. In Carson City alone, so far this year Xquisite has helped 64 victims and received 238 calls on their hotline.
Sergeant Bindley explains what to look out for when someone is potentially being trafficked.
"If your kids have access to cell phones, computers, anything with the internet, pay attention to what apps they're on," he said. "Seek out applications that assist you in watching what your kids are doing on the internet."
Sandquist adds, "I mean if their behavior changes, if their clothing might change, if they have items like cell phones, new shoes, different things like that. They shouldn't have two phones. Those kinds of things are just beginning signs."
There are all kinds of resources offered for victims. Reno Police have their HEAT team that offers medical help, placement, counseling. Carson City has sexual assault response advocates that also have access to similar resources to Reno. And of course there's Xquisite.
"We do have support groups for adults and youth, we try to help with housing that's a deficit here, education is important, some of the kids need some tutoring help medical needs are needed," says Sandquist.
Sergeant Bindley says that the best thing the public can do to help is to be vigilant and know what you're looking for.
"They have a bunch of cash they don't normally have; a second cellphone shows up at the house, any of these things are drastic behavior changes that adults in their lives, they need to pay attention to it and when they see it, they need to say something about it.
If you or someone you know may be experiencing sex trafficking you can call the Xquisite 24-hour emergency hotline at (775) 434-7255.
