Central Ohio Today

State Representative Tracy Richardson of Marysville participated in the 2025 Human Trafficking Prevention Awareness Statehouse Advocacy Day, organized by the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking. The event, held in Columbus, aimed to unite advocacy groups and discuss strategies for addressing human trafficking.

During her speech, Richardson emphasized the importance of collective efforts: “This day matters because everyone, all of us, comprise the team that will make a difference,” she stated. She highlighted past legislative achievements aimed at improving survivors' lives and expressed commitment to continue fighting against human and labor trafficking in Ohio. “We collaborate for change. The laws we’ve made in the past were to improve the lives of survivors, and we won’t stop now! We will persevere together until Ohio is rid of the scourge of Human and Labor Trafficking. My wish is that this gathering today (Wednesday) will be part of an ever-growing flame of unity, understanding and transformation in Ohio.”

Richardson has consistently supported initiatives to combat human trafficking in Ohio through various legislative measures. Her efforts include sponsoring legislation for Ohio’s Human Trafficking Awareness Day and advocating for expungement policies benefiting victims who committed non-violent crimes under duress.

The Collaborative to End Human Trafficking works towards raising public awareness about human trafficking issues. It provides educational resources to help identify traffickers and victims while collaborating with state agencies and legislators.