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"Can you see me?" | Anti-human trafficking campaign launches in Midland

Texas is number two in the nation for human trafficking cases.

MIDLAND, Texas — 313,000.

That's the number of human trafficking victims in the state of Texas at any given time within the past 3 years according to a DPS assessment. 

Local and state law enforcement, including the office of the governor, came together in Midland Tuesday to fight human trafficking. 

"Can You See Me?" is the name of the campaign. It runs through October 2020. 

Their goal is to increase the number of tips the national human trafficking hotline gets. 

Starting with Midland, the Can You See Me campaign will reach 70 billboard markets in the next calendar year. 

"Pay attention what's happening in their communities," said Lisa Bownds of Reflection Ministries. "What's happening in parking lots and at the mall and at their schools and really just call law enforcement. Take the next step. If you see something, say something." 

According to Bownds, a human trafficking survivor and Reflection Ministries CEO, Texas is number two in the nation for human trafficking cases.

2,331 is the number of actual cases in Texas the National Center for missing and exploited children reported in 2017

The Can You See Me campaign is spreading awareness by using the hashtags #CanYouSeeMe and #TexasSeesYou. 

The campaign will be in Dallas-Fort Worth and El Paso, moving into south Texas in December. 

The national human trafficking hotline number to call is 1-888-373-7888.

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