The virginia state police (VSP), the lead law enforcement applicant, and samaritans house (SH), the lead victim service provider applicant, are requesting funding under purpose area 2: expansion of…

The Virginia State Police (VSP) and Samaritans House (SH) were awarded a $650,408 Cooperative Agreement under the U.S. Department of Justice's (DOJ) Services for Trafficking Victims program (CFDA 16.320). The funding will be used to expand the Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes law enforcement, victim service providers, and other partners across the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. The task force will focus on enhancing services and support for both sex and labor trafficking victims, providing a range of assistance such as case management, legal aid, housing, mental health counseling, and economic empowerment. The three-year project period runs from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027, and aims to strengthen the region's capacity to identify, assist, and empower diverse populations affected by human trafficking.

The virginia state police (VSP), the lead law enforcement applicant, and samaritans house (SH), the lead victim service provider applicant, are requesting funding under purpose area 2: expansion of local or tribal ECM human trafficking task force. Other task force members include VSP, homeland security investigations, the united states attorneys office, transitions family violence services (TFVS), and the police departments and prosecutors from the cities of chesapeake, hampton, newport news, norfolk, portsmouth, williamsburg, and virginia beach. The metropolitan statistical area population of hampton roads is 1.8 million people. This proposal seeks to expand to the sheriffs offices and commonwealth attorneys for the counties of matthews, isle of wight, york, accomack, brunswick, gloucester, greensville, james city, middlesex, northampton, southampton, suffolk, surry, sussex, and york. Agency partnership expansion includes the virginia department of labor and industry, the virginia DMV police, virginia marine resources police, and the virginia ABC police. The task force coverage area includes the U.S.S largest naval base, a large and growing hotel and tourism industry, and a growing agritourism industry.