New developments in the state’s role in battling human trafficking.

The North Dakota Human Trafficking Task Force reports they helped 322-clients this past year.

Tuesday, separate numbers came out from the Federal Human Trafficking Institute— breaking down how states like North Dakota are doing in response to the growing epidemic.

In the last year alone, nationwide… 771 trafficking cases went through Federal Courts.

North Dakota had five active cases… all sex trafficking cases.

It resulted in 7-convictions, which doesn’t include arrests and trials in state courts.

And while the oil patch was primarily the focus for sex trafficking.. experts say it is everywhere.

Melissa Williams of Youthworks said, “There is a stereotype in the midwest that, ‘not in my backyard.’ That is a goal of ours… to eliminate that because it is in all our backyards.”

Also according to the report, North Dakota is the only state that did not order defendants to pay restitution in federal trafficking cases.