Governor Abbott Speaks At Event On Combatting Child Sex-Trafficking
Governor Greg Abbott today delivered remarks at a workshop hosted by the Governor’s Child Sex-Trafficking Team (CSTT) designed to develop collaborative approaches to recovering child sex-trafficking victims and providing them the services they need to heal and thrive. Attending the event were six multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) from areas around the state where trafficking is heavily prevalent, including Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Waco, Austin, and San Antonio. The teams are made up of law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, child protection and juvenile justice agency personnel, medical and mental health service providers, and community and faith-based organizations.
“No child should ever live in fear or suffer from abuse or neglect, and that is why Texas will continue to lead the fight against the heinous criminal enterprises associated with child sex trafficking,” said Governor Abbott. “As a father, horrific trauma experienced by these young victims breaks my heart, and as Governor, it is my foremost responsibility to keep Texans safe. I would like to thank the Child Sex Trafficking Team and all the stakeholders who are fighting against child sex trafficking for their dedication, being a champion for our children and ending this scourge on our society.”
Over the 4-day workshop the MDTs will develop action plans to bring back to their regions and implement a coordinated response to child sex-trafficking in order to bring exploiters of children to justice. The workshop is presented by National Criminal Justice Training Center (NCJTC) through funding awarded under the Missing and Exploited Training and Technical Assistance Program from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and through funding provided by the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division.