Human Trafficking Commission Continues To Prepare For Super Bowl

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — As the state reopens following the coronvirus pandemic, Hillsborough County is ramping up plans for Super Bowl LV, scheduled to be played at Raymond James Stadium in February.

As part of the preparations, County Commissioner Kimberly Overman led the effort to form the Commission on Human Trafficking, which will resume its conversations Tuesday at 1 p.m. with a virtual meeting viewable on the Hillsborough County Facebook page, YouTube channel, HTV channels Spectrum 637 and Frontier 22 and through the county's website.

At this year's Super Bowl in Miami, calls reporting human trafficking were up 163 percent. The Women’s Fund of Miami-Dade County reported 20 victims of human sex trafficking were recovered, four of which were missing children identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Additionally, eight buyers of sex trafficking and 34 accomplices were arrested.

While the coronavirus pandemic has suspended all sporting events with fans in attendance, plans for Super Bowl LV is moving forward, and so are efforts to combat sex trafficking, said Overman

There will be opportunities to comment at Monday's meeting. To sign up to speak, click here.

This article originally appeared on the Tampa Patch