The Ministry of National Security yesterday morning launched a 24-hour trafficking in person’s hotline – the first of its kind in The Bahamas.

The hotline’s to be used to exclusively to investigate such matters or as Mr. Dames put it, providing victims of trafficking another lifeline to secure assistance.

“This dedicated hotline will allow victims and those who suspect a friend or loved one is being trafficked, to anonymously report the crime. 

“The new TIP Hotline will be overseen by the TIP Secretariat personnel within the Ministry of National Security,” he said.   

Commonly referred to as a form of modern day slavery, trafficking in person’s calls for the selling and exploitation of humans for profit – a dehumanizing but big business.

“Trafficking in persons is primarily a transnational crime although it can occur within the victim’s country and according to the International Labour Organization accrues in excess of $150 billion annually using some countries as sources, transit or destination places.

“The traffickers and victims in The Bahamas are mainly from within the Caribbean Region, South and Central America and Asia. 

“Since the inception of TIP there have been four cases of trafficked victims that were investigated in The Bahamas.”

“Moreover, for the past three years The Bahamas has maintained its Tier 1 Status, a status given to countries whose governments fully meet the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standards,” he said.