Compton Restores Human Trafficking Task Force, Mobilizing Community Against Exploitation

By Marion Apio

Compton is bringing back a city task force to address human trafficking in areas of the community where officials say the problem is glaringly obvious and needs urgent attention.

Disbanded during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the task force is now under the leadership of Deatra Handy, who serves as both chairperson and program director for Restoration Diversion Services, a registered nonprofit drop-in center on Long Beach Boulevard. 

Handy said the corridor’s long-standing reputation, coupled with economic hardship and homelessness, makes it a prime target area where victims are often recruited as young as thirteen.

“Many survivors are slipping through the cracks,” Handy said. “Our systems need to work together.”

She said the unified task force is essential to “create pathways to freedom and restoration.” 

Before the pandemic pause, the task force concentrated primarily on prevention, awareness, and legislative action. Now, it’s being restructured with the survivors and victims in mind to address the growing scale of exploitation, officials said. 

According to Ken Henry, a founding member of the task force, the group’s collaborative approach to tackling the visible problem paid dividends.

Henry said the task force helped an estimated 100 to 200 individuals and families over three years with services ranging from therapy and housing to medical care. 

“Those numbers matter, but what really mattered was the trust we built,” Henry noted. “We worked closely with law enforcement to make sure they were more victim-centered and that survivors didn’t feel criminalized.” 

Los Angeles County is among the nation’s trafficking epicenters.

Statewide, California reported 1,733 confirmed cases, or more than 14% of all trafficking cases, nationwide. In addition, 18% of unhoused individuals in Los Angeles County identified as trafficking victims. 

Officials say these figures highlight the urgency of a coordinated, trauma-informed, and community-driven response.

Since assuming the leadership, Handy has steered the task force toward survivor-centered strategies.

The group’s new steering committee includes representatives from the city, Compton College, Compton College Police Department, St. John’s Community Health, and YWCA Project Impact.

The task force’s goals include expanding trauma-informed services, establishing a rapid crisis response system with law enforcement, and increasing outreach through schools, churches, and community events. 

The long-term recovery efforts will focus on housing, mental health support, mentorship, and educational access, such as enrollment at Compton College, Handy said in an interview. 

A Public Awareness and Relaunch Meeting will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2025, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Dollarhide Community Center. 

Event Details

What: Compton Human Trafficking Task Force Public Awareness Meeting

When: Tuesday, October 29, 2025

Time: 1:00 PM–3:00 PM

Location: @Dollarhide Community Center

“The message we want to share with our community is that human trafficking affects everyone,” Handy said. “These young women and men are our sisters, daughters, and sons. Every resident, church, business, and school has a role to play in prevention and protection.” 

Restoration Diversion Services, which is sponsoring the community meeting, was founded in 2009 with a mission to provide critical on-the-ground support to victims and survivors.

The agency’s drop-in center, which first opened in 2015 and reopened in March 2024, has since served 150 young women and survivors, welcomed over 300 visitors, and rescued 20 individuals from exploitation, according to Handy. 

She said her passion for the work stems from her years as a foster care administrator, where she said she witnessed human trafficking on a broad scale. 

Restoration Diversion Services is funded by a small grant from Los Angeles County’s Justice, Care, and Opportunities Department, allowing the agency to operate 20 hours a week.

Many of the young women the nonprofit  serves are homeless or living in motels, often without access to necessities or safety tools, Handy said. 

She emphasized the need for comprehensive aftercare, including shelter, mental health counseling, and education, to bring “restoration to the young women after they’re rescued.” 

Community members who want to help can visit www.restorationdiversionservices.com to learn more about donation options.

The needs include  pepper spray for personal safety, window breakers for emergencies, personal alarms, hygiene products, clothing, and condoms. 

“Each contribution, no matter how small, provides real protection and dignity to a survivor rebuilding her life,” Handy said.