HOUSTON – Most Houstonians, and honestly, people around the country have heard of the Bissonet Track.
While the origins of the Bissonnet Track are shadowy and ill-defined, KPRC 2 has covered issues in that area for at least the last 25 years.
“Bissonnet is a common name, it is a street name for people who are in this space and are paying attention to things like this, they know of it. And the people who are engaging in this activity, they also know of it,” said Luke Baty, the Chief of Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation at the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
KPRC 2 Investigates reporter Robert Arnold recalled his coverage over the years, saying that the concentration of motels, side streets, and easy access to the highway has likely been a factor in the staying power and prominence of this district.
But, on Thursday, we learned from KPRC 2 reporter Rilwan Balogun, that the Bissonnet Track is not the only “hot spot” in the Houston area, and that the illicit trade is moving to other parts of the city.
“It’s one of the things that Houston and Harris County are known for around the country. I’ve been in presentations in other cities that reference the streets that we know well here in our city and that are well known around the country for sex trafficking,” Baty said.
He added that the Houston area is now seeing an uptick in sex trafficking on Airline Drive and Berry Road, around Hobby and Bush Airports, and in the Gulfgate area.
“There’s a lot of places around this city that people can drive and just see sex being sold on the streets. We’ve known that once Bissonnet has been shut down, things will eventually move somewhere else,” Baty said.
But why?
There are several factors when considering this, Baty said it has a lot to do with law enforcement agencies’ record-keeping, meaning the city and county are known to keep a better record of arrests associated with prostitution and sex trafficking than other cities. He also allotted to the fact that it’s highlighted in pop culture, especially with local artists.
“Because we live in Houston and because this issue is in the forefront of our citizens’ minds more often than it should be, more than in smaller cities, there is some increase in reporting. I think that the city, the county, our law enforcement partners, and government agencies have done a good job of giving resources and the ability for people to make disclosures when they see issues in our city,” Baty said.
Nzinga Rideaux with Hope Over Hurt, an outreach and missionary ministry that advocates for those being trafficked, said northeast Houston has been a “hotspot” for prostitution in Houston for more than 20 years. She said the location, which is 10 minutes from downtown, plays a huge role in why it’s so popular.
“It’s an easy commute and it’s a place where a lot of hope is missing,” Rideaux said. “Unfortunately, the neighborhood went down because after elders and family members’ past children took over, some did not pay the taxes on the property, so some of the property’s value went down.”
Also, some may say due to Houston being the fourth-largest city, its proximity to the border, and being a destination for truck drivers and other tourists; make it the ideal city for the industry.
“We need more to be done. We need more politicians and more to be done by the citizens,” Rideaux said, “You know, the citizens, we have a role to play, as well as being aware if something is not going right in our neighborhoods.”
Authorities are working to combat the issue in Houston and Harris County. Baty said pimps, johns and human traffickers are seeing harsher punishments, and the District Attorney’s Office is offering more resources to women who find themselves stuck in the industry.
“I think if we can stop trafficking in this city if we can curb it and make it something that our citizens, our jurisdiction will not consent to, it signals to other major cities around the country that this is possible, that we can do something about this problem,” Baty said.
Help if you’re a victim
- To get help from the National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733), Chat Online: Human Trafficking Hotline Web Chat
- DoD Safe Helpline is the sole secure, confidential, and anonymous crisis support service specially designed for members of the Department of Defense community affected by sexual assault. CALL 24/7 AT 877-995-5247 or 24/7 ONE-ON-ONE LIVE CHAT.
If you want to report human trafficking
- To report suspected human trafficking to federal law enforcement: 1-866-347-2423
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