Human trafficking. Modern-day slavery. Human smuggling. Sex trafficking. These are all things that happen in faraway places and are not part of my world — or so I thought.

During the 2018 election cycle, I was shocked to see candidates’ ads about stopping human trafficking in Atlanta. “Atlanta?!” I thought. Yes, Atlanta. Atlanta is actually one of the top cities for human trafficking, with a thriving industry that makes an approximate $290 million per year in revenue. Not only is this happening within the city, but 65 percent of men in the Atlanta area who purchase sex with children live in the suburbs.