Unbound now and the tarrant county sheriffs office propose to continue to implement the enhanced collaborative model task force to combat human trafficking project as purpose area 2 grant applicants

The Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs Victims of Crime has awarded a $1,000,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Services for Trafficking Victims program (CFDA 16.320) to Unbound Now, a non-profit organization. The purpose of the grant is to expand and strengthen the Tarrant County Human Trafficking Task Force in Texas to better respond to sex and labor trafficking in the region. Key project activities include providing victim services and advocacy, conducting discipline-specific and cross-disciplinary trainings, increasing trafficking identification and investigations, and prosecuting traffickers. The funding will also support survivor leader consultants as subrecipients. Over the previous 3-year period under this grant, Unbound Now has served 395 human trafficking victims, conducted 350 investigations, and submitted 128 cases for prosecution in Tarrant County.

The purpose is to expand and strengthen the tarrant county human trafficking task force to better respond to SEX and labor trafficking in tarrant county and the surrounding areas. Potential and confirmed victims of human trafficking (SEX and labor) as defined by trafficking victim protection act are the intended beneficiaries of the project. Survivor leader consultants will be paid as subrecipients for their consultation work. Project activities include further development of the leadership structure and subcommittees, providing victims access to advocacy and services, discipline-specific and cross-disciplinary trainings, increasing SEX and labor trafficking identification, investigating trafficking cases, prosecuting traffickers, and using data to more effectively identify gaps and inform responses in our community. Unbound now served 395 human trafficking victims in tarrant county and surrounding areas with ECM TF funding (53 in year 1; 243 in year 2; and 99 in year 3 to date). There were 350 human trafficking investigations (122 in year 1; 141 in year 2; and 87 in year 3) and 128 cases submitted for prosecutions (42 in year 1; 33 in year 2; and 53 in year 3) in tarrant county over the last three years. As a result of these activities, the tarrant county human trafficking task force expects the following outcomes: further development of multi-disciplinary relationships at the local, state, and federal levels; multiple trainings per year that are relevant to and open to all task force partners; further development of the model of victim engagement in law-enforcement operations and investigations, prosecution case development, and victim services that places emphasis on trauma-informed and victim-centered practices; reevaluation of existing protocols followed by expansion or adjustments as needed; increased robustness in tarrant countys response to labor trafficking; and continued provision of financial assistance to victims as well as access to advocacy and services.