City of Houston launches new initiative to combat human trafficking, domestic violence

HOUSTON – Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner announced a new initiative that will target human trafficking and domestic violence in Houston Monday afternoon.

Turner said he is expanding the mayor’s office of human trafficking to include domestic violence. He said the office’s new name will be Mayor’s Office of Human Trafficking and Domestic Violence, which will be led by Minal Davis.

The mayor’s decision to add domestic violence to the office is due to both being forms of gender-based violence.

Law enforcement officials have seen an uptick in domestic violence, sexual assault and abuse for women and girls nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, Turner said.

The city of Houston became the first major city in the nation to pass a hotel ordinance that will require hotels to train employees on human trafficking and indicators of sex and labor trafficking, Turner said.

Watch the full press conference below: