3,600 kids become victims of sex trafficking in Georgia each year. The first lady is trying to stop it

Nicquel Terry Ellis | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Trump signs order to combat human trafficking President Donald Trump marked the 20th anniversary of federal legislation to help combat human trafficking by signing an executive order furthering those efforts and dedicating a new White House position to the issue. (Jan. 31)

ATLANTA – Georgia's first lady, Marty Kemp, raised her three daughters on her family farm with sheep and horses in the picturesque rolling hills of northeast Georgia near Athens.

For most of their childhood, she was a stay-at-home mom and occasional substitute teacher, volunteering at the girls' schools and keeping the family active at Emmanuel Episcopal Church.

The farm, which Kemp's father purchased the day she was born, was just 70 miles from Atlanta, but the family's idyllic life was a world away from the state capital – and its growing sex trafficking trade.

It wasn't until early last year, shortly after her husband, Republican businessman Brian Kemp, was elected governor, that Kemp and her daughters found themselves at a news conference outside the city's Atlantic Station staring at 72 school buses.

The 3,600 children that could fill the seats, they were told, equaled the number of children sold for sex in Georgia each year.

"The girls and I were absolutely shocked at why we had not heard about this," Kemp told USA TODAY.

Since then, the first lady has made it her mission to spread the word.

“It’s a hard topic to talk about," said Kemp, 53, who has a daughter in high school and two attending the University of Georgia. “It’s hard for parents to discuss it because you just don’t want to think that it’s in your community but it is, and we are going to talk about it."

In the past year she has emerged as a champion of the state's efforts to combat human trafficking, traveling around Georgia, speaking out against the practice, listening to survivor stories and assessing the needs of communities.

Her efforts recently garnered the support of Ivanka Trump, daughter and adviser to President Donald Trump, who traveled to Atlanta in January to attend a roundtable on the subject with her, Gov. Kemp and others. Trump also toured a Wellspring Living facility in Atlanta that provides care for sex trafficking victims.

An estimated 7,200 men pay for sex with a child in Georgia every month, state officials say. The FBI named Atlanta one of 14 U.S. cities with the highest rate of child sex trafficking.

Victim advocates say traffickers target Georgia because its capital is home to the world's busiest airport, has several major interstate highways and hosts large-scale events such as the Super Bowl, the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.

"It’s a terrible, vicious cycle," Kemp said. "I want to figure out the problem and fix it and get it out of our state.”

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Toward that end, she co-chairs Georgians for Refuge, Action, Compassion and Education Commission Commission, launched by the governor's office last year to thwart trafficking and deliver justice for victims. The commission includes public officials, nonprofit leaders, faith-based institutions, experts and law enforcement officials.

The GRACE Commission created a training program that offers tips on how to identify sex trafficking victims. The training is being made available to 80,000 state workers and the general public. Kemp said the training isn't mandatory for state employees, but Gov. Kemp is strongly encouraging it.

Kemp also is credited with expediting plans to develop a recovery center for trafficking victims in northwest Georgia funded by federal grants. The Receiving Hope Center, which will provide temporary shelter and assistance to victims age 12 to 17, is expected to open this month.

Mary Frances Bowley, executive director of Wellspring Living and a Grace Commission member, said Kemp's advocacy has moved the state forward.

“It was so affirming to those of us on the ground because we knew if she got involved, things that we hoped would happen would really happen," Bowley said. "If there is an issue we don’t just sit around, we are trying to address it."

Joan Kirchner Carr, chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler and wife of Georgia Attorney General Christopher Carr, befriended Kemp on the campaign trail in 2018, connecting over the challenges of raising teenage daughters. She said Kemp's decision to tackle sex trafficking came as no surprise because she has a "heart for the most vulnerable."

"I thought it was a perfect fit for Marty," Carr said. "As a mom, we are constantly telling our daughters that the internet is a big hub for sex trafficking ... be careful what you post."

Lesley Reynolds first met Kemp 15 years ago as parents of students at Athens Academy, and the two are best friends. She said the first lady's new cause "aligns with who she is as a person."

"This is right up her alley," said Reynolds, who, like Kemp, had no idea sex trafficking was a widespread problem in Georgia before last year. "Marty is one of the most selfless people that I know. She cares about everyone."

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The stories of survivors resonate with Kemp. One woman spoke at an event she attended about having to sell herself for sex at truck stops when business at the strip clubs was slow. Another said she was trafficked by her father from age 4 to 28.

Older men frequently lure girls into sex trafficking by buying them material things and paying for hair, nails and other luxuries, Kemp said. Some victims are targeted on social media platforms.

“These girls are brainwashed to believe these guys really love them," she said, "and then they turn them into sex slaves."

Faith Underwood, 22, was one of those girls.

Underwood lives at a Covenant House shelter for homeless young people in Atlanta after a 3½-year relationship with a pimp who verbally, sexually and physically abused her. She said she met him in Minneapolis when she was 17 and he was 24. He had girlfriends in different cities and forced her to cut off contact with friends and family. She suffered three miscarriages.

"I was naive," said Underwood, who followed the man to New Orleans but moved to Atlanta last year seeking a better life. "I wasn't quite in a head space to understand that this wasn't the type of love that I wanted."

Todd Wilcher, director of youth engagement and outreach at Covenant House Atlanta, said combating sex trafficking will require communities to educate more people on the signs and work harder to protect youth.

"It has to be a holistic approach," Wilcher said. "If we can get to a place where we are not judging people but trying to keep them safe, that would be a better situation for all of us."

The GRACE Commission is proposing a slate of legislative measures to combat sex trafficking in the state. One measure would allow trafficking survivors to restrict access to their criminal records. Kemp said many survivors have trouble getting jobs because of crimes they were forced to commit. Another proposal would allow the state to revoke the commercial drivers license of anyone convicted of using their vehicle in the commission of the crime.

Advocates also are pushing to close a loophole in state law that prohibits improper sexual contact between a teacher and student, a hospital employee and patient, and a law enforcement officer and someone in custody. After learning of a man in Thomasville, Georgia, who trafficked his adopted daughter, Kemp wants to add foster parent to the law.

She hopes Georgia's efforts to fight sex trafficking can be a model for other states — and that her advocacy will help protect more young girls and boys.

“Know there's a way out,” Kemp said, holding back tears. “Know that we are here to help them ... we are fighting hard for them every day so they don’t have to choose that life.”

Warning signs of sex trafficking

Georgia state officials say signs include:

Poor hygiene, malnourishment or fatigue

Injuries or signs of physical abuse

Frequently monitored and not allowed to speak for themselves or without a third party present

Avoids eye contact and is hesitant to talk to strangers

Inability to clarify where they are staying or provide an address

Tattoos used to brand the victim as a sex trafficking group member

How you can report human trafficking

Anyone who needs help or wants to report possible human trafficking can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-877-373-8888 or text "INFO" or "HELP" to BeFree (233733).