Tacoma hotel lawsuit claims management ignored signs of sex trafficking

TACOMA, Wash. — A lawsuit has been filed against Tacoma Hotel Motel LLC, the operator of a Quality Inn & Suites in Tacoma, accusing the hotel of failing to prevent sex trafficking activities between 2019 and 2021.

The lawsuit, filed by a survivor identified only as A.H., claims that the hotel management knowingly allowed her to be trafficked for sex at the hotel and did not take adequate measures to prevent such activities.

According to the complaint, A.H. was trafficked at the Quality Inn & Suites located at 8810 S Hosmer Street in Tacoma.

The lawsuit alleges that the hotel management, despite being aware of the signs of sex trafficking, continued to rent rooms to A.H.’s trafficker and financially benefitted from the illegal activities.

The plaintiff says that the hotel staff witnessed numerous red flags indicative of trafficking, such as frequent visitors to specific rooms, individuals loitering around the hotel, and suspicious items observed by housekeeping staff.

The lawsuit claims that the hotel’s failure to implement and enforce anti-trafficking policies, despite widespread knowledge of the issue within the hotel industry, directly contributed to the plaintiff’s continued victimization.

It asserts that A.H.’s harm could have been mitigated or prevented if the hotel took appropriate action.

The lawsuit is based on the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (TVPRA), which allows victims of trafficking to seek damages from entities that knowingly benefit from participation in a trafficking venture.

A.H. is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, alleging severe physical and psychological harm due to the trafficking she endured at the hotel.

The lawsuit highlights a broader issue of sex trafficking within the hotel industry, where traffickers often exploit hotels as venues for their illegal activities.

It calls for greater accountability and stricter enforcement of anti-trafficking measures within the industry.

If you are a human trafficking victim or have information about a potential trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.

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