Just over three years ago, our team launched the Mississippi Businesses Against Trafficking (MBAT) initiative. At the time, Texas and Iowa were the only other states with similar programs in their Secretary of State’s Offices.

Today, through continuous dialogue and persistence across the National Association of Secretaries of State, I’m proud to say six other southern states have since joined our efforts to create a force across the Southeast.

Which, if you haven’t paid much attention to the news lately, is greatly needed due to the exponential growth of both sex and labor trafficking in our country.

This year alone in Mississippi, through various local, state, and national human trafficking operations from the Gulf Coast to Southaven, at least 100 arrests have been made and close to 50 victims have been rescued.

We are extremely thankful for our law enforcement officials who not only put their lives on the line every day but then may also serve as the first face of hope a victim might encounter. But, it takes all of us, no matter your circle of influence.

If you are not already an MBAT member, I encourage you to visit sos.ms.gov/MBAT to join now. We recently wrapped up a four-part virtual seminar series in partnership with the Mississippi Coalition Against Human Trafficking (MCAHT). Through this series, businesses across varying industries had the opportunity to not only learn the warning signs of human trafficking, but how to build a safer environment for survivors within the workplace and community.

As MBAT has grown in recent years, we’ve often heard feedback that while getting businesses more involved is an important first step, we should also attempt to reach licensed professionals, such as nurses and doctors, who are more likely to encounter victims of human trafficking.

Taking this feedback to heart, we developed a plan to collaborate with our state’s licensure boards to include human trafficking awareness and training as an option within any existing continuing education requirements. Early conversations have been met with overwhelming support, and we are now working to expand this initiative to all of our state’s licensure boards.

Our team continues to find ways to serve Mississippians, and we are already looking forward to the programs and resources we will be rolling out for MBAT members in 2026. There’s no better time than now to take action.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing," -Edmund Burke.