NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A state lawmaker from Middle Tennessee wants to help cut down on human trafficking across the Volunteer State in a unique way.
Representative Mary Littleton has filed HB0182, the Ink of Hope Act, which trains tattoo artists to spot the signs of human trafficking. Littleton represents parts of Dickson and Cheatham Counties.
If passed, the bill would add an hour of trafficking awareness training to the licensing requirements for tattoo artists in Tennessee. Research shows traffickers often brand their victims as a means of control with tattoos of symbols, names or phrases to mark their ownership over the person.
Recent data from nationwide anti-trafficking organizations showed nearly 50% of survivors were branded with a tattoo.
HB0182 bill ensures that every tattoo artist in the state would know how to recognize the signs and how to report the info to authorities, without intervening themselves.
Tennessee would be the first state to formalize a training program.
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