Human Trafficking Awareness Month Proclamation and Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force Report

Today, Attorney General Mike Hilgers, Governor Jim Pillen, and Colonel John Bolduc gathered in the Nebraska State Capitol to recognize January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. They were joined in the Warner Chamber by state senators, members from multiple law enforcement agencies, child advocacy centers, leaders from government agencies, and non-profits who work to combat trafficking and support human trafficking survivors.

Governor Jim Pillen read and signed an official Proclamation designating the importance of the event. Attorney General Hilgers released the 2024 Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force (NHTTF) Report, announced the 2025 Human Trafficking Task Force Summit, and presented the 2025 human trafficking poster to be distributed across Nebraska. 

The report details efforts made in 2024 to combat human trafficking in Nebraska. Most notably, Attorney General Hilgers hosted the inaugural Human Trafficking Task Force Summit in Kearney in September with over 200 attendees. Due to the success of the event, the second annual Summit is scheduled for September 16, 2025, in Lincoln at the UNL Innovation Campus. Registration for this year’s Summit will open on June 16, 2025.

“It is difficult for many to believe that human beings are trafficked in Nebraska. They are bought and sold and treated as property, forced against their will by those who think they own them. Each year in January, we gather to recommit ourselves to doing all in our power to work to end this illegal evil and no longer allow it to thrive in the shadows,” stated Attorney General Mike Hilgers.

In 2024, 12 defendants were convicted of felonies for human trafficking-related charges. This number of convictions represents an especially successful year for NHTTF and partners. These convictions ensure that those who traffic in Nebraska are held accountable for their actions. Additionally, there are ongoing prosecutions for cases of human trafficking-related charges in Dawson, Douglas, Hall, Lancaster, and Platte counties. Attorney General Hilgers is committed to prosecuting human trafficking and pursuing justice for survivors.

The Nebraska Human Trafficking Hotline, 833-PLS-LOOK, remains a powerful tool in the fight against human trafficking. Last year, 113 calls were made from citizens seeking to report signs of human trafficking. As a result of these calls, law enforcement was dispatched 15 times in 2024. Calls to the hotline are reviewed by a team consisting of local, state, and federal investigators.

NHTTF team members from the Attorney General’s Office presented training to over 2,000 Nebraskans, including judges, prosecutors, law enforcement, firefighters, corrections employees, college students, medical professionals, mental health professionals, tribal leaders, advocates, and corporate management.

In 2024, NHTTF team members collaborated with Twelve Clans Unity Hospital in Winnebago to develop their own Forensic Nursing team to serve all survivors of trafficking, sexual assault, and domestic violence. The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Liaison within the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office is working to ensure that native communities have access to resources to combat human trafficking.

The Attorney General’s website contains educational and informational content, including videos on identifying human trafficking in Nebraska, which can be accessed at AGO.Nebraska.gov.