Op Ed: Houston Stands Up to Its Reputation as Human Trafficking Hub
The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) held annually in Houston is a world event. The conference, held this year May 4th through the 7th, attracted hundreds of vendors and thousands of professionals in the oil and gas industry providing a huge economic impact on the city. Yet, there is a profound dark and vile underside to conference activities. Houston is also a major hub for human slavery and sex trafficking in the United States. For years, this intersection of business and widespread prostitution has provided a boon to sex traffickers in Houston every year. However, the difference this year is a coalition of anti-human trafficking organizations who have joined with city law enforcement and conference organizers to combat the widespread sex trafficking that usually occurs during this event.