According to experts, several coinciding factors are creating a “perfect storm” of human trafficking in Charlotte, North Carolina, leading to what Fox News calls an “eye-watering number of cases.”

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From Fox News:

A startling rise in human trafficking cases throughout one of the nation’s most populous states is putting both experts and parents on alert, with data indicating that criminals are targeting children in unprecedented numbers.

North Carolina is ranked ninth in the country for human trafficking, according to data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline. In 2024, the state identified 301 cases of human trafficking involving 580 victims, the Hotline indicated.

These cases involve instances of sex trafficking, labor trafficking and additional types of exploitation that may not be specified or remain unknown, according to the Hotline. In North Carolina, data indicates that in 2024, there were 145 reported cases of sex trafficking, 73 cases of labor trafficking and 38 cases of both sex and labor trafficking.

According to Hannah Arrowood, executive director of Present Age Ministries, this rise in trafficking is best explained by North Carolina’s sweeping highway system, making it a major hub for interstate trafficking. Also fueling this rise is a high demand for inexpensive labor in the state’s agricultural industry, as well as increased gang activity. Speaking to Fox, Arrowood says these factors have created a “perfect storm.”

Arrowood notes that many trafficked individuals are coming from within the Charlotte area, as traffickers are targeting school-aged children. According to the Charlotte Metro Human Trafficking Task Force, 48% of all trafficking cases in 2024 involved minors younger than 16. Arrowood additionally notes that many of these minors are being recruited and groomed through online platforms such as social media and dating apps.

From 2020 to 2024, Charlotte reportedly say a 76% increase in trafficking. And, according to Arrowood, these traffickers aren’t discriminating. Every ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic class is being targeted and affected.

Most importantly, while trafficking is on the rise in Charlotte, it isn’t a problem confined to North Carolina. Arrowood notes that trafficking “happens in every city and every town, whether you’re rural [or in a] city.” All across America, individuals, especially children, are being targeted.

As trafficking cases continue to rise, let’s go to the Lord in prayer. Let’s pray for the protection of every American, and let’s pray that every trafficker would be brought to justice.

How are you praying about this rise in trafficking? Share your prayers and scriptures below.

(Excerpt from Fox News. Photo Credit: Tim Tebow Foundation on Unsplash)