'It happens here:' Sex trafficking fight hits home for Mount Pleasant, Lowcountry

MOUNT PLEASANT, SC (WCIV) — Human trafficking is on the rise in South Carolina, and the Lowcountry is seeing an increase in the number of cases.

New data from the National Human Trafficking Center states in 2012 there were 32 cases of human trafficking statewide.

Just six years later, there were 81 cases reported; an increase of nearly 154 percent, and what many are calling “a new form of slavery” is popping up in unexpected communities.

Human trafficking is not just an issue for border towns and low-income neighborhoods. Not even an All-American City like Mount Pleasant, a predominantly white, middle-to-upper-class coastal community in South Carolina, is immune.

On a Saturday morning in March 2019, Mayor Will Haynie, town council members, community activists, police and victims and more came together to discuss issues ranging from human trafficking, child sexual abuse, teen drug use, suicide and more.

Mayor Haynie was approached with the idea for the conference titled “Our Community, Our Children," by members of Wake Up Carolina, an advocacy group focused on preventing substance abuse.

"We are sometimes called ‘Mount Perfect’ and sometimes we are not” Haynie said. “All of those things. including teen suicide, drug use, runaways, human trafficking, even prostitution, those things happen here."

That notion proved true that very same day, when Mount Pleasant Police announced they arrested five women for prostitution inside a poplar hotel less than a mile away from where the conference took place.

"Most of those who were arrested were not from here.” Haynie said. “But came to the area to ply their trade. And I’m glad they were caught."

Haynie said that meeting changed his outlook on the issues and dangers children face each and day.

"We're trying to stop our kids, our neighbors’ kids or someone we know from getting lured into something. It’s like a criminal cult in a way," Haynie said.

Tiffany Knowles knows those hardships all too well. She was just a teenager when she was lured from her home by someone she thought was a friend.

"She ended up introducing me to her pimp. I didn't know where we were going. She just said we were gonna go see my ‘daddy,'" she said.

Haynie recalled hearing Tiffany’s story, saying it had a profound affect on everyone in attendance.

"When one of them gave her testimony, there wasn't a dry eye in the house,” said Haynie.

According to the National Human Trafficking Center, of the 56 cases reported in the Palmetto State last year, 34 involved children.

But those who worked on the front lines of preventing trafficking and childhood sexual abuse say that number is vastly under-reported.

“The number of children has grown to where we are seeing between 30 to 40 children a year related to those concerns," says Dr. Carole Campbell Swiecicki, executive director of the Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center.

“That is about a 600 percent increase. A lot of that has to do with identification,” Swiecicki said.

Since 1991, The Dee Norton Center has made it their mission to prevent abuse, protect children and heal families.

"Every year there is an increase in children that we see related to sexual exploitation and trafficking right here in Charleston,” Swiecicki said.

Haynie recalled a recent case of attempted trafficking East of the Cooper involving a high school student.

"We heard one case where someone's aunt got her to recruit friends at a local high school,” he said. "It’s not some shady character from a shady area getting you to come do criminal things. It’s a friend saying, 'Hey, give this a shot, you can make some extra money, there’s no danger in it,' but there is danger."

With the prevalence of smart phones and social media, Haynie says would-be traffickers now have greater access to children at nearly any time of day.

Mount Pleasant Police are aware of and monitor several online apps that are popular with potential traffickers.

Officers also use what are classified as sting operations to lure potentially dangerous criminals out of hiding.

Combating abuse and trafficking also comes down to knowing the warning signs.

There is a correlation between sexual abuse and trafficking. Those who are abused in the home by someone they trust are much more likely to be trafficked.

Swiecicki says changes in behavior and withdrawal from normal or every day activities can be the first sign of trouble.

"You see things like sadness,” she said. “Changes in behavior. Being withdrawn, particularly with trafficking. "You will see kids who are labeled as 'problem children.' They might be involved with juvenile justice, they might be cutting class, they might be using substances.”

Another red flag, Haynie says, is "having two cells phones, or suddenly having very nice things and having a new phone and disappearing for long periods of time with no explanation."

"These are the things we need to be on the lookout for,” Haynie says.

What makes the Lowcountry such a target area for would-be traffickers?

Swiecicki says one reason is the Lowcountry's appeal as a vacation destination.

"I have seen that the entire Charleston Lowcountry area, including Mount Pleasant, is I think the second most frequent destination that involves trafficking of youth and young adults," Swiecicki said. "And that is more likely in communities where there is anonymity because they are there vacationing."

But for Mount Pleasant’s mayor, that’s simply unacceptable.

"There are two types of communities: those who have those problems and those who refuse to talk about them," Haynie said. “It happens here. We cannot hide that. Is it as prolific as it is in other communities? Probably not, but the way I feel about it, and I know the police chief who is the ‘Sheep Dog’ of our town feels about it, is one case is too many.”

If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual abuse or trafficking, help is available.

You can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or visit their website HERE.