MADISON, Wis. – January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Wisconsin Stat. § 940.302 defines human trafficking as the recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting, providing, or obtaining of an individual (or attempting to do so) for the purpose of labor, services, or commercial sex acts when done by a means defined in the statute, including but not limited to threats, extortion or fraud.
According to data provided by the National Human Trafficking Hotline (NHTH), in 2024 the hotline received 277 contacts in Wisconsin. The NHTH reports that in 2024, 111 cases were opened in Wisconsin involving 181 victims, as cases can include multiple victims. The majority of the cases reported were sex trafficking of adult women. According to NHTH, venues for sex trafficking in Wisconsin included illicit massage/spa businesses, hotels and motels, residences and other unspecified locations. Venues for labor trafficking in Wisconsin reported to the NHTH included restaurants/food service, domestic work, hospitality and other unspecified locations.
“Increasing awareness about human trafficking can help to combat it,” said Attorney General Josh Kaul. “I encourage folks to learn more, including about how you can support survivors.”
How to Help
If you suspect trafficking, document as much information as possible and contact law enforcement immediately.
If you or someone you know needs immediate help, call 911. The NHTH also assists victims and accepts tips 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 1-888-373-7888. Other tiplines include the Blue Campaign Tip Hotline at 1-866-347-2423, and the National Center on Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) tipline at 1-800-843-5678.
For help finding a local victim service provider, reach out to the DOJ Office of Crime Victim Services or visit the service directories on DOJ’s human trafficking website at https://www.wisdoj.gov/Pages/PublicSafety/human-trafficking-find-help.aspx. You can also find local service providers at https://www.wcasa.org/survivors/service-providers/.
The Wisconsin Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force will be hosting a webinar on January 21, 2026, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm CST. Registration is open to members of the public who would like to learn more about sex and labor trafficking, understand what human trafficking can look like, and how to connect survivors with resources here in Wisconsin. To register, visit:
https://widoj.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_MQBvJg3xTyav9TXsjq-FTQ#/registration
About the Wisconsin Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force (WAHTTF): WAHTTF is a statewide multidisciplinary task force comprised of federal, state, and tribal law enforcement and victim service providers dedicated to supporting survivors of human trafficking and ensuring justice is served by those who commit the crime.
