Offshore Technology Conference attendees warned about sex trafficking

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- It brings in dozens of big companies, thousands of people and millions of dollars. But the Offshore Technology Conference often brings in another element that the Harris County Sheriff's Office says it won't stand for -- sex trafficking.

On Monday, we found Kathy Griffin rallying her troops.

"I like to empower women to hold their own without having to use their bodies," she said.

The group goes by the name We Been There Done That.

"For many years I was trapped in the sex industry," Griffin said.

They're a group of former prostitutes on a mission to stop human trafficking and get prostitutes off the streets.

"We're showing them how we have come out and started our lives and we have good lives now," Griffin said.

Griffin says for the next few days she'll be one busy woman, mainly because of the OTC conference is here in Houston. That means a lot of men and a lot of money. Griffin says pimps and prostitutes see this conference as a gold mine.

"They wait all year from the escorts to the street girls," she said. "A lot of them are hoping one of these men will want to save me and take me and maybe become a sugar daddy and my need to marry me."

OTC conference goers even got a warning, saying OTC is teaming up with United against Human trafficking. It also lists a number to call to request help or report human trafficking.

"I think that it will slow it up," Griffin said.

It's a serious problem here in Houston, but "Mrs. Kathy," as they call her, is now working the streets -- but this time, it's to save others from what almost killed her.

"I never thought I would end up a prostitute or a sex slave, being chained whipped and beat on," she said.