Walking together to end silence on human trafficking

On a frigid morning in late January, people walked in packs past locked storefronts at the Mall of America. Dozens of community partners lined the Huntington Bank Rotunda. Hundreds gathered in front of a stage washed in blue lights.

They were there before the mall's opening hours for Hennepin County’s first Walk to End the Silence, to uplift, support and empower survivors of human trafficking and exploitation.

"The walk began as an idea – one rooted in the belief that silence protects harm, and community disrupts it," said Tia Joy Peterson, Hennepin County's No Wrong Door program coordinator.

No Wrong Door connects victims and survivors of human trafficking and sexual exploitation to county services and resources from our community partners. Peterson understands the gravity of this work, shaped by both lived experience and professional expertise.

"When I was young, I didn't have the language to name what was happening to me, and I didn’t know where to go for help," said Peterson. "What I did know was that I felt isolated, confused, and ashamed – exactly the conditions exploitation depends on."

For many Hennepin County employees, our work is personal. We bring our unique lived experience alongside extensive training and on-the-job experience to our fields. And our service to residents – our north star – is better for it.

About human trafficking and exploitation

Human trafficking is the exploitation of a person through force, fraud or coercion for labor or sex. It often involves manipulation, control and survival. It is not a choice.

Human trafficking affects our entire community, and it can happen to anyone regardless of age, location, race or gender identity.

In 2024, 83 cases of trafficking were identified in Minnesota, involving 133 victims. One quarter of the cases involved minors. Hennepin County has the highest number of youth impacted by sexual exploitation in Minnesota.

Youth have a voice at Hennepin County

Walk to End the Silence attendees heard from Hennepin County commissioners, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and members of the county's Youth Advisory Board.

The Youth Advisory Board offers a space for young people to share ideas about how the county can better support youth navigating homelessness, the foster care system, juvenile justice, parenthood and other challenges on their transition to successful adulthood.

"Being part of the Youth Advisory Board has shown me that our voices are powerful," said Milo, a member of the Youth Advisory Board. "When youth are included in conversations about safety, mental health, and prevention, the solutions are stronger – and more real."

Youth experiencing exploitation are not alone

A network of supportive services in Hennepin County is ready whenever help is needed.

Hennepin County’s No Wrong Door program supports youth at risk of or facing sexual exploitation, connecting them to resources including health care, counseling, emergency shelter and case management. No Wrong Door's robust network of partners are committed to preventing youth exploitation, making a meaningful difference in the lives of survivors and our community.

"Youth are not just the future," said Milo from the stage. "We are the now."