Human Trafficking in Arizona

When topics like sex trafficking, human trafficking, and modern slavery are brought up, a majority of Americans will associate these with low- and middle-income countries. Even though the Thirteenth Amendment was passed in 1865, which abolished slavery in the United States, the practice is still alive and well today.

Arizona is a hot, vast, desert-ridden state and the sixth-largest in the nation. Additionally, Arizona is one of the four states bordering Mexico, making it a hub for human trafficking. In fact, in 2017, Arizona was reported to have the third-highest rate of human trafficking in the nation[1]. However, after valiant efforts from the local law enforcement, these numbers have subsided significantly.

State Statistics

Since 2007, the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH) has been one of the nation’s greatest res