Pinellas proposal would post signs to help human trafficking victims

PINELLAS COUNTY (FOX 13) - Florida is third in the nation for human trafficking and Pinellas County is considered one of the biggest trouble spots in the state. 

Now Pinellas county commissioners are trying to tackle that statistic.

"I feel like if we can get one person out of the bad situation they're in, it's worth the small effort," said County Commissioner Charlie Justice.

That small effort is a proposal by the county commission to require certain businesses in the county to post signage inside, aimed at helping victims of human trafficking. 

It would include businesses like strip-clubs, massage parlors, even nail salons, potentially up to 1700 businesses in all.

"Basically those places our law enforcement tell us that's where we find the human trafficking going on," Justice said.

The signs would offer victim's a way out, including the number to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center.

"This sign would placed in your typical employee area.  It is not going to be in the front window it would be where your break room is or other signage required by Dept. of Labor." Justice said.

"Is this one thing going to stop it completely? Probably not, but it's one step in the right direction," said Dani Eyermann.

Eyermann manages Intuition Salon and Spa in Clearwater. 

She strongly supports the idea.

"Our clients know we'd have no part in that. If anything they'd' know how much we'd want to prevent those things from happening," Eyermann said. 

"Anything we could do to prevent human trafficking is a good thing" she added.

The public hearing is scheduled for January 12th.