AUSTIN, Texas — It’s Human Trafficking Month, so all of January is dedicated to extra efforts to raise awareness about stopping modern-day slavery. Many state and city leaders have come forward to speak out against human trafficking in honor of what this month entails. Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) unveiled a new specialty license plate that encourages people to be vocal about human trafficking.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, “Human trafficking is a crime in which force, fraud or coercion is used to compel a person to perform labor, services or commercial sex. It affects all populations: adults, children, men, women, foreign nationals and U.S. citizens, and all economic classes.”

Critics have accused Abbott of practically human trafficking since he’s bused migrants from Texas to other states, like Washington, D.C., New York City and Chicago several times. But that hasn’t stopped him in this month’s goal of spreading awareness to end human trafficking.

“I am proud to unveil the ‘Stop Human Trafficking’ specialty license plate as we raise awareness about the horrific exploitation of men, women and children across the state,” said Abbott. “Texas will continue to lead the fight against the scourge of human trafficking by educating the public, supporting survivors and shedding light on the injustices that many face. We encourage Texans across the state to join us in our mission to eradicate human trafficking.”

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) will have the “Stop Human Trafficking” specialty license plate available for purchase on Feb. 20. All proceeds will go to benefit the Stop Human Trafficking donation account, which pays for treatment services, shelter and support for youth survivors of human trafficking.

“Texans have a new way to raise awareness about human trafficking and support young survivors,” said HHSC Office of Family Services Director Megan Bermea. “Too often, human trafficking is hidden in plain sight. We hope this new specialty license plate will bring the issue to light and gain the attention of more people who can help prevent the exploitation of vulnerable people.”

In June 2021, Abbott’s signing of House Bill 2633 led to the creation of the “Stop Human Trafficking” specialty license plate. A 2022 license plate design contest was put on by HHSC and the TxDMV. Mary B. Carr, a licensed professional counselor who works with human trafficking survivors in Houston, took the win with her design.

HHSC’s Human Trafficking Resource Center (HTRC) offers lots of human trafficking resources that support the victims of this crime, education on preventative methods and awareness efforts to Texans.