A lack of awareness, funding and treatment resources are the three biggest hurdles to cross in combating the plight of human trafficking in south Florida, according to panelists this morning at a brainstorming session led by U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach.

Florida ranks third in the nation in the number of reports of human trafficking, according to panelists at the forum hosted by Palm Beach County State Attorney Dave Aronberg at the local prosecutors’ office.

Frankel organized the roundtable discussion in hopes of discovering avenues to help solve issues related to the crimes that ensnare thousands of mostly women and children on a local level every year.

A key speaker in the discussion was Katariina Rosenblatt, a survivor of human trafficking who is now a college professor and lead the nonprofit group There is Hope for Me, which is aimed at rescuing local children from sex slavery.

Other attendees included officials from the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Homeland Security, the Florida Department of Children and Families and several local and national child welfare agencies.