FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Hartford, CT) - The Division of Criminal Justice’s Regionalized Human Trafficking Recovery Taskforce of the Greater Hartford Region is hosting a screening of a new documentary about the rapid rise of "sextortion" crimes across the United States.
A special screening of "Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic" will be held at 6 p.m. Sept. 26 at The Bushnell in Hartford. The event is free to the public but those wishing to attend should register online here for a ticket to ensure a seat.
The screening will include an expert panel discussion with representatives from the film and local anti-human trafficking experts. The documentary made its premiere at the 2022 Santa Barbara International Film Festival as part of the Social Justice Feature Documentaries.
Prosecutors and other law enforcement officials use the term “sextortion” to refer to sexual assault cases that occur online in which a perpetrator demands the production of sexual activity from victims, especially children.
The Regionalized Human Trafficking Recovery Taskforce of the Greater Hartford Region is a new collaboration between the Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office, led by Hartford State’s Attorney Sharmese L. Walcott, and the Connecticut Children’s Alliance (CCA), which is led by Krystal Rich, Executive Director of CCA. The mission of the taskforce is to end human trafficking in the region through a multidisciplinary response by law enforcement and service providers to both sex and labor trafficking cases.
The Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office and CCA worked together to secure federal funding through the United States Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime in recognition of the unmet need for a victim-centered and trauma-informed multi-disciplinary approach to ending human trafficking in the Greater Hartford region. Through the OVC award, the Division of Criminal Justice has hired a Coordinator for the Taskforce and the CCA has hired a victim advocate who will partner with law enforcement and assist victims in obtaining needed support services. The Connecticut Department of Children and Families, through the Director of the Office of Human Trafficking Services, is also working with the taskforce.
The taskforce accepts referrals from law enforcement, service providers or from community members who have concerns that someone may be a victim of human trafficking. The Chiefs of Police in Hartford, East Hartford, West Hartford, Bloomfield, Manchester, South Windsor, Glastonbury, and Windsor have committed to supporting the work of investigating human trafficking cases.
To contact the Regionalized Human Trafficking Recovery Taskforce of the Greater Hartford Region, call 860-566-3190, extension 3128, or email DCJ.RHTRTaskforce@ct.gov.