AG’s office releases human trafficking report

NEWBERRY COUNTY — Earlier this month, the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office released its annual Human Trafficking Report for 2025. Across the state, the state Law Enforcement Division (SLED) reported 315 human trafficking tips across 41 out of 46 of the state’s counties, including two out-of-state tips.

For Newberry County, there were three reported tips in 2025. As of 2025, 52 different defendants have a total of 84 charges pending for human trafficking in the SC State Courts. In Newberry, there was one human trafficking defendant pending — on the other hand, there were two human trafficking charges opened in Newberry County and one case closed.

The report also includes a number of ways to help anti-human trafficking efforts in the state. Ways to help include: learning about the signs of human trafficking; calling the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733 if you suspect human trafficking (call 911 in an emergency); donating to human trafficking programs that may need hygiene products, food, etc.; volunteering; requesting a presentation for an after-school program; and using social media to raise awareness of human trafficking.

The report can be viewed in its entirety on the SC Attorney General’s website under the Data and Reports section.