HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN NORTH DAKOTA

  • Human trafficking happens in both large cities and rural communities across North Dakota.
  • Between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2019, the North Dakota Human Trafficking Task Force (NDHTTF) has served 345 victims of human trafficking (268 adults, 77 minors).
  • There have been 243 sex trafficking cases, 28 labor trafficking cases, 24 sex and labor trafficking cases, and 50 other cases.
  • Between January 1, 2016 and March 31, 2019, the (NDHTTF), fifty-seven (57) arrests of perpetrators were made.
  • The inception of the North Dakota Human Task Force was in 2015. This is a collaborative team made up of law enforcement, prosecution, and service providers at Federal, State, and local levels.
  • North Dakota aims to provide person-centered services by the enactment of the Safe Harbor Law in 2015.
  • Additional ND Laws added in 2015 include:
    1. Uniform Act on Prevention of Remedies for Human Trafficking added to the ND Century Code
    2. Expungement – Individuals who have a prostitution conviction can file suit to get it removed from record
    3. Sentencing enhancements including an increased penalty for pimping from a “A” Misdemeanor to “C” Felony
    4. The establishment of the Demand Reduction Program also known as a “John’s School”
    5. Formation of the North Dakota Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Commission
  • There are multiple organizations working to combat human trafficking including 31:8 Project and the North Dakota Human Trafficking Task Force. For more information on other organizations within the state, visit www.318project.org or www.ndhttf.org.
  • The North Dakota Human Trafficking Hotline number is 701-526-4863.
  • The National Human Trafficking Hotline is 1-888-373-7888.