TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The St. Petersburg Police Department announced the establishment of a regional human trafficking task force Wednesday, after the agency received a $741,556 federal grant and 8 On Your Side is digging deeper into this growing problem in Florida.

Data from the U.S. State Department reports an estimate of between 18,000 and 20,000 human trafficking victims each year.

Human Trafficking Cases in Florida Reported to the NHTH Hover over the bars to see the exact number. Sources: National Human Trafficking Hotline Sources: National Human Trafficking Hotline

Last year’s 767 reports of human trafficking led to the identification of 1,771 victims, 506 traffickers and 306 trafficking businesses.

More than a fifth of human trafficking victims in Florida are children and the majority are female.

Who is being trafficked?

According to a study of U.S. Department of Justice human trafficking task force cases, 83 percent of sex trafficking victims identified in the United States were U.S. citizens.

The same study also found that the average age that a trafficked victim is first used for commercial sex is between 12 and 14 years old. Some victims are as young as 9 years old.

According to the Florida Dream Center, which provides aftercare for human trafficking victims, the life expectancy for a child taken into sex trafficking is only seven years from the date of capture.

Where is trafficking happening?

Florida has been known as a hotbed for human trafficking because of the state’s economy. With Florida’s booming agriculture and tourism industries – two industries where trafficking can flourish – law enforcement keeps a close eye to try and help victims.

2018 Locations of trafficking.

Source: Human Trafficking Hotline

Top sex trafficking venues in Florida:

Hotel/Motel-Based Commercial-Front Brothels Online Ad. – Venue Unknown Street-Based Other Venues

Top labor trafficking venues in Florida:

Domestic Work Agriculture Traveling Sales Crews Restaurants/Food Service Other Industries

Florida has more than 5,000 registered travel vendors, as reported by the Florida Department of Agriculture. According to the Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights, travel agencies are regular collaborators with traffickers.

If you or someone you know has been involved in human trafficking, law enforcement encourages you to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.