Community meeting takes on prostitution in Salinas in pilot area

SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) - A community meeting on Thursday night focused on the need for strategies to combat prostitution and human trafficking in Salinas.

The community meeting will focus on the Pilot Area, talking about solutions, including adding street lights, a no-parking zone, and security cameras along intersections and streets in the area.

This includes East Alisal, East Market, Kern, Kings, Merced, North Pearl, North Wood, and Roosevelt Streets, plus North Madeira Avenue and Ragsdale Court.

Neighbors broke out into groups to be informed and talk about key takeaways from privacy concerns with the camera, and whether moving food trucks would have any benefit in aiding the issue

One person voiced the need for more education on when to recognize and see human trafficking.

"I think we need to actually address the issue and share, like what resources do survivors actually need and how can community members or employees recognize what human trafficking is and actually make a report to law enforcement instead of just not saying anything or leaving it under, and just seeing it and not reporting," said Destiny Garcia, Human Trafficking Outreach Manager for Monterey County Rape Crisis Center.

The city of Salinas' public works and Salinas Police Department will now consider the community feedback for further adjustments of the pilot area before it heads to the council for approval.