The concept of slavery has been around for centuries. Ancient civilizations saw people as property to be sold, purchased and used as the owner pleased. Everyone from rulers to common folk accepted the practice.
As time passed, calls to end slavery reverberated throughout most modern societies. Unfortunately, although the practice has been outlawed in every country, humans are being bought and sold today. However, this modern-day tragedy goes by a different name: Human Trafficking.
According to information published by Human Trafficking | A21, an organization working to reach, rescue, and restore Human Trafficking victims, there are more people enslaved today than any other time in human history, with an estimated
40.3 million people enslaved worldwide.
This industry is not limited to any particular country, nor are its victims limited to sex or age. Anyone, anywhere, at any time, could become a victim.
Shockingly, Florida ranks third in the nation in calls to the National Human Trafficking hotline. People are being trafficked right here, in our own backyard. With a crime so far reaching and so close to home, what can be done?
“Since 2008, we’ve seen the power of individual action, and this year was no exception. 2021 was our most impactful year yet—breaking nearly every operational record to date and more than doubling the number of victims identified and assisted within a single year,” stated a representative from A21.
In response, E3 director, Darla Huddleston stated, “While I’m thrilled we are rescuing more victims than ever, if we don’t do expand prevention efforts, the number of our own youth becoming human trafficking victims will continue to increase.”
Currently, E3 Family Solutions is the only organization in the fifth circuit that focuses on human trafficking prevention. Our Equipping Youth program educates students on the “red flags” to prevent them from being groomed, particularly through social media. Students learn the phrase, “Don’t tell anyone!” is a warning or ‘red flag that someone is up to no good.
E3 also spreads awareness through our Understanding the Teenage Brain program for parents and through blogs on our website. See Human Trafficking Awareness Blog – January 2022 . With the number of victims on the rise, it is important that parents are aware of how local the danger really is and teens know how to set boundaries on their social media sites so they can avoid the “groomers” in the first place. But we can’t do it alone.
Unfortunately, there are no government or private grants to fund our human trafficking prevention efforts. We need people with a heart for this cause to come alongside us financially so we can continue and expand our efforts to prevent this horrible tragedy.
As a teenage girl in our program told us recently, “I had been communicating with what I thought was a boy my age who lived in another state. But when he said he was coming to Florida and wanted me to meet him in Orlando and to ‘come by myself’ I remembered those red flags; ‘Don’t tell anyone’ and ‘Meet me alone’ and I didn’t go.”
As one donor stated, “That’s one more teen that won’t need to be rescued and rehabilitated. What a great outcome!”
To help us prevent another human trafficking tragedy, you can donate here. A contribution of $100.00 allows four students to participate in our Equipping Youth program. We’ve abolished slavery in public. Now, let’s work together to abolish it in private!
We can’t do it alone!
Help us make sure that our youth are properly equipped to make healthy choices NOW so that they can go on to lead happy, successful lives later. Let’s change the face of the community today!
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