ST. CLAIRSVILLE — January is National Human Trafficking Awareness Month — a time when people are reminded that the problem persists nationwide and in Eastern Ohio.

On Wednesday the Belmont County Board of Commissioners heard from JaQue Galloway, program facilitator with the Tri-County Help Center, who updated county leaders about the local situation in Belmont, Harrison and Monroe counties.

Galloway said the agency screened 13 people who were identified as being subjected to human trafficking.

“On paper it does look like the numbers are rising. I don’t think that’s happening. I think our outreach has changed quite a bit, and so we’re able to reach more survivors and more survivors are getting help. I can’t say for sure,” she said.

She said many clients might initially report issues of domestic violence and sexual assault before realizing there was a trafficking element as well.

“With education and screening, they have a better understanding of what trafficking looks like,” she said.

Galloway added that there were two local convictions last year related to trafficking of teenagers.

She said cases of forcible kidnapping by strangers are rare, with most instances of trafficking happening within families or by someone the individual trusts. She said there often are cases of online extortion, exploitation and blackmail.

“Traffickers really rely on grooming and making their victims trust them and feel reliant on them, and then they exploit that trust,” she said, adding that those in need of basic necessities are often targeted — as are people struggling with addiction.

“Teenagers are especially vulnerable to trafficking, but we know survivors can be any age, especially when familial trafficking,” she said.

She said the Tri-County Help Center office is open 24/7 and the helpline number is 740-695-5441. The Belmont County office is at 104½ N. Marietta St., St. Clairsville. The Harrison County office is at 109 W. Warren St., Cadiz and can be reached at 740-942-1018; the Monroe County office is at 117 N. Main St., Woodsfield, phone 740-472-0255.

“Our shelter is available for victims all day, 365,” she said. “We offer counseling. We offer any victim assistance services like accompaniment or legal advocacy. We have support groups.”

In answer to the commissioners’ questions about Tri-County’s work, Galloway said the agency has partnered with local hotels, CDL drivers, truck stops and other sites where people should be on the lookout for signs of trafficking.

“We really just want the community to know what trafficking looks like, so please look around your community and be receptive to that information,” she said. “It’s not going to be super-visible. … We want people to kind of hone in on the people that they love and what their relationships look like and what their household and community look like.”

She said the criteria for trafficking is transporting or pressuring people to transport themselves with elements of force, fraud or coercion. She said Tri-County does not screen for any specific distance transported. Galloway said more information is available on the center’s social media.

In other matters, the commissioners accepted bids for homemaker and personal care services to senior citizens of Belmont County for the Department of Senior Services. Addus Homecare of Downer’s Grove, Illinois, bid $28.96 per hour. Just Right Home Care of Wheeling bid $29 per hour.

Senior services Director Lisa Kazmirski reported that meal deliveries and medical transportation continued this week despite the bitter cold weather.