State Rep. Joe Graves to Host Town Hall on Human Trafficking

State Representative Joe Graves will host a town hall tonight on how to identify and fight human trafficking. The Junior League of Flint will co-host the event and joining Graves will be state Rep. Kurt Heise of Plymouth who co-chairs the Michigan Advisory Commission on Human Trafficking, and a representative from the Michigan Attorney General's office.

Graves, a Republican from Argentine Township, said the Michigan House has introduced a package designed to help fight the practice of human trafficking in Michigan. The bills were introduced in response to six months of work by the Human Trafficking Commission, which set 11 legislative goals to fight human trafficking which often forces young women into prostitution.

Graves said "this is a crime that often hides in plain sight, and we need to make people aware of what to look for so we can crack down on those who commit this crime. We are revising our kidnapping laws so they apply to human trafficking, and legislation will protect victims instead of labeling them as prostitutes. They mus be viewed as victims, not criminals."

The town hall meeting will take place tonight at 6 p.m. at the St. Johns Activity Center located at 610 N. Adelaide Street in Fenton.