Alabama Engage Together Project Selects 12 University Students for Key Role in Statewide Human Trafficking Initiative
Fellows will take part in research, data analysis, and community engagement related to human trafficking
The Alabama Engage Together Project (ETP) has selected 12 Research Fellows from six universities to bolster its effort to combat human trafficking across the State.
The two-phase, three-year initiative, led by the Attorney General’s office and Attorney General Steve Marshall, aims to map both community strengths and gaps, foster collaboration across sectors, and deliver practical strategies for preventing exploitation and supporting survivors.
The new Research Fellows will take part in research, data analysis, and community engagement related to human trafficking and related exploitative practices.
The 12 Research Fellows hail from schools across the State:
- Auburn University: Will Ross; Abrianna Arnett
- University of Alabama at Birmingham: Jennifer Ludwick; Andra Jeann Hullinger
- Faulkner University: Amy “Grace” Faulk; Don Heald
- Huntingdon College: Cheyenne Henegar
- Samford University: Tori Tipton; Ryan Taylor
- University of Alabama: Charlotte Wilson; Manpreet Kaur; Macy Cates
Attorney General Marshall praised the students’ selection and the project’s aims, saying,
“Human trafficking is one of the most urgent public safety and human rights challenges of our time. Alabama must confront it with both compassion and determination. The students selected as Research Fellows will play a critical role in building the knowledge and partnerships needed to protect the vulnerable, hold traffickers accountable, and strengthen communities across our state.”
Katie Beth McCarthy, Coordinator for the Alabama Anti-Human Trafficking Alliance, said the initiative is “an honor to be part of … and these students represent some of the best and brightest in our state. The Engage Together Project will leave a lasting impact on Alabama’s fight against human trafficking.”
The Scope of the Problem in Alabama:
- According to the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, over 57 percent of human trafficking cases in the State involve minors.
- The National Human Trafficking Hotline recorded 105 confirmed trafficking cases in Alabama during 2024, involving 141 victims. Types of cases included sex trafficking, labor trafficking, both, and some where the type was not specified.
- Since its creation, the hotline has reported 927 trafficking cases in Alabama and identified nearly 2,000 victims.
Alabama has several laws, tools, and agencies in place to respond to reports of human trafficking. The Anti-Human Trafficking Alliance, under the Attorney General’s Office, coordinates resources and public awareness. Alabama uses a screening tool called BEAMS to help professionals and non-professionals identify potential signs of trafficking in adults and children. Legislative protections include the Safe Harbor Act (passed in 2016), which provides that children caught up in trafficking be treated as victims, not criminals.
For further details about the Engage Together Project and its partners, see the official site: EngageTogether.com/project/alabama.
For more information about human trafficking in Alabama, including the more recent statistics, visit HumanTraffickingHotline.org or EndItAlabama.org.
