Organizations gather in the Hub City to spread awareness of Human Trafficking
JACKSON, Tenn.– This is the fourth year the Sisters With Aspiring Goals or ‘S.W.A.G.” hosted a Human Trafficking Awareness event in partnership with the City of Jackson. Leaders say this event is all about educating the public.
Organizers say their goal is spreading awareness about human trafficking. They wanted to share what human trafficking is, dispel some of the stereotypes, identify it, prevent it, and inform the public about the resources available to victims.
“It is very real. It’s very real. It is right here at our back door step,” said Ella Watkins, the Director of S.W.A.G.
So, what is human trafficking? Most imagine the stereotype of someone being abducted. However, according to Julanne Stone, the Executive Director for the Scarlet Rope Project, it’s very different. Traffickers often prey on those that are vulnerable. Whether it be a drug addiction, financial struggles, or more.
“It is not being kidnapped. We’ve worked with multiple survivors of trafficking in this area and none of them were kidnapped by someone they didn’t know. They all knew their trafficker,” said Stone.
According to Captain Danielle Jones from the Jackson Police Department who spoke who at the event, human trafficking as a triangle. One is sex, one is money or commodity, and the last is coercion, deception, or the victim is a minor. If a crime includes those three things, it constitutes as human trafficking.
“In 2020, 165 cases of human trafficking took place in Tennessee. In 2019, 73 of the 95 counties reported human trafficking. We have to let people know how real and dangerous this is,” said Bridgett Parham, the Recreation Manager for the City of Jackson.
At the event, were representatives from the Jackson Police Department, WRAP, the Scarlet Rope Project, The Salvation Army, and more.
“You need to know the truth about it. There may be a lot of myths that may be out there too but you need to know the truth. That’s the only way we’re going to educate our people and keep our people safe…is by letting our people know the true facts about what is happening in our city and in our state,” said Parham.
When the speakers concluded, attendees gathered outside to pour red sand into the cracks in the pavement. This is apart of the red sands project by the scarlet rope project. The sand is highly visible and acts as a way to keep the conversation about human trafficking going.
To learn more information about human trafficking, visit ithastostop.com or call the Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-855-558-6484.
