Some might be surprised to learn that sex trafficking is a major problem in Idaho. It's not just happening in heavily populated states such as Florida, Texas, New York, and California.

The Department of Justice defines sex trafficking as the "exploitation of a person for labor, services, or commercial sex." California, Texas, and Florida lead the nation in 2023 so far in reported sex trafficking cases, according to one online source. The DOJ has a task force that monitors online interactions in an effort to reduce cases of sex trafficking in the U.S.

Get our free mobile app

These predators largely target teenage girls and young women and often use the Internet to recruit or stalk potential victims. California is by far the top state in the west for these types of crimes, but that's because there are close to 40 million residents, according to opic.org. Idaho has had an alarming number of reported sex trafficking-related incidents since 2021.

According to HTCourts.org, the Gem State has had over 220 reported incidents of sex trafficking over the past 36 months, although reports reveal less than 90 were confirmed. The Idaho Anti-Trafficking Coalition reports most cases in the state are under-reported, meaning victims are not able to receive help and are closely controlled. Manipulation and control are at the root of sex trafficking.

If you need assistance and are presently being forced into sexual relations, you should contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888. There are people standing by waiting to provide assistance. The Idaho Anti-Trafficking Coalition (IATC) also operates a hotline for those in the state that need help, at 208-630-6601.

LOOK: Most dangerous states to drive in

Stacker used the Federal Highway Administration's 2020 Highway Statistics report to rank states by the fatalities per billion miles traveled. 

LOOK: The biggest scams today and how you can protect yourself from them

Using data from the BBB Scam Tracker Annual Risk Report, Stacker identified the most common and costly types of scams in 2022.

More From 98.3 The Snake