Many people have an idea of what human trafficking looks like in their head, but each case is unique and the issue affects people and communities in many different ways. That's what two advocates from Columbus said Wednesday during a Columbus Metropolitan Club panel on the subject.

Esther Flores, CEO of 1DivineLine2Health, works on Columbus' west side providing safe places for women who have been or are in the midst of being trafficked. Melissa Reinhard is commercial services director for CleanTurn, a social enterprise company that hires high-risk employees who have dealt with drugs and human trafficking for its commercial cleaning business.

Flores described many of the people, the vast majority women, she works with as vulnerable, having aged out of the foster care system, been mistreated in relationships and being addicted to drugs, referring to the issue as "mega-multifaceted." The human trafficking problem, particularly in Columbus' west side and Hilltop neighborhoods where she operates, is tied closely to the opiate epidemic.

"Not one child, not one woman, not one transgender woman wanted to be a prostitute. If you want to learn something today, take that word out of your vocabulary. They are destitute people, children, who lack love. … We treat them with the utmost respect. We're about giving people second chances. The answer, the antidote to human trafficking … is called love," she said.

She said all of the people she works with suffer from mental illness of some form or another, ranging from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder and agoraphobia. Most do not trust law enforcement, especially those from immigrant communities or backgrounds that might result in their deportation. Transgender individuals also face an above-average risk of violence, as well, she noted.

Reinhard emphasized that many people think of multinational human trafficking rings from movies when they think of the crime, but said that it's actually far more subtle. She described one individual she worked with who suffered with alcohol issues that were exacerbated by a divorce. Those addiction issues became worse over time, until she was hit with prostitution charges. However, her case went through a special docket called the Changing Actions to Change Habits (CATCH) court, founded by Franklin County Judge Paul Herbert. The two-year program allows individuals to avoid jail time by going through treatment. Through that program, she found a support network.

"We see again and again that what makes the difference is when they're involved in a network that surrounds them -- a network that can maybe find them housing and employment. We all need a community to surround us. It's exciting to be in a space where there are so many people involved who really care," Reinhard said.

Flores said what is most needed in her community is a full-time drop-in center for women being trafficked or at-risk, saying that Franklin County currently does not have one. Her center, operating largely underground, served 1,250 individuals last year during just the four hours a day they are open.

She said she has been encouraged by recent reform efforts at the Columbus Police Department, saying they have begun working with her and other grassroots organizations. However, she said further reforms need to take place.

"We need to help our cops have a little bit more compassion. Right now our girls are being charged for soliciting, loitering and jaywalking. … What if we flipped the script and start charging johns with soliciting who are driving in their cars. It's kind of confusing, at times we know what the common sense is, but the law right now is black and white," Flores said.

Asked what education is needed, Flores noted that 130-HB59 (Amstutz) included a provision requiring staff training for school personnel regarding human trafficking for school safety purposes, but said that early education is also needed for students so that they know how to identify signs and avoid risks.

She also said that human trafficking problems exist in suburban areas as well, just like opiate addiction problems. She said the average person can help fight human trafficking by supporting or volunteering with a local service like hers, noting that they need men to get involved in various roles as well as women. Reinhard noted that helping can be as simple as patronizing businesses that employ and support the formerly incarcerated.