Guest Editorial: Fighting Human Trafficking in Montana is Real and Needs Real Work

There are many misconceptions about human trafficking, but perhaps the biggest is that most people believe it doesn’t happen near them. Tragically, this is not the case. Human trafficking is happening every day, in every country, and in every state—including Montana. Combating this growing tragedy demands greater partnerships between public and private entities—and Montanans should know that work is underway.

Since its inception in 2007, Montana’s Human Trafficking Hotline has helped identify 219 cases and 446 victims of human trafficking. This is a good start, but traffickers hide in the shad...