On March 21, 2015, over 110 persons attended an Anti-Human Trafficking Awareness Workshop in Charlotte, North Carolina. After hearing from a series of Human Trafficking experts the attendees broke into small groups to develop recommendations for combating Human Trafficking, both sex exploitation and labor trafficking. The purpose was to generate actions that can be put into place by Aglow Lighthouses; churches; civic, service, business and social organizations; and individuals. A small group, composed of the younger attendees, reported the results of their discussion in the form of a video which has been included in a video prepared subsequent to the Workshop showing highlights during the entire day entitled "Aglow Mid-Atlantic Anti-Human Trafficking Workshop" which can be seen on YouTube and by visiting www.aglowmidatlantic.org and on the home page by clicking "Watch the New Video" after March 21, 2015 Charlotte, NC.
The following Recommended Actions were developed by people who had decided that it is necessary to deal with this growing plague in their communities. That was the easy part; now it is time to convert these recommendations into real actions. No one person or organization is expected to act on all or even many of the following suggestions; but there is something(s) for everyone to accomplish. LET'S GET TO WORK!!!!
RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
Prayer
1. Prayer walk suspected Human Trafficking areas
2. Pray continuously for teens and against Human Trafficking
3. Pray for youth groups at your church and provide them informative materials
4. Join the Let Freedom Ring, Open Prayer Line between 7:00 am and midnight on the 11th of every month [call 1-641-715-3200 code 849645#]
5. Pray for perpetrators as well as victims of trafficking
6. Alert prayer teams and prayer lines about general and specific problems and needs
7. Pray, individual, corporate and family, make ourselves available for God to use
Awareness
1. Form a Neighborhood Watch, be alert and observant of signs of trafficking, know your neighbors, know your environment
2. Host a community awareness event in your neighborhood, inform community associations
3. Encourage pastors to have a plan to inform their congregations, must be on-going, not a one-time event
4. Find out what resources are available; for example, do a computer search on topics such as: "Human Trafficking in North Carolina" and/or "Human Trafficking in_______" [put in the name of your community]
5. Be approachable (but not aggressive) and trustworthy so those who are trapped will not be afraid to come you
6. Visit www.vigilantetrucker.com for information about sex and labor trafficking, put the app on your cell phone, take pictures of suspicious activity, investigation will follow
7. Meet with law enforcement officials to find out what is going on in your area and how you can help, see what they need to help rescued victims
8. Provide information prominently in locations where middle school age children gather
9. Communicate with media contacts (radio, cable and network TV, newspapers, magazines) to get them to cover Human Trafficking [visit www.easymedialist.com]
10. Distribute Blue Campaign [US Department of Homeland Security] and other materials in English and Spanish in areas likely to be used by actual and potential victims
11. Find or prepare and distribute materials prepared in both visual affect and wording targeted to the age group of vulnerable girls and boys [such resources are available on many Human Trafficking websites]
12. Get information and materials to Boy and Girl Scout leaders
Education
1. Use Aglow Lighthouses as a platform to educate "Come and learn how to keep children safe from predators"
2. Educate yourself and others about Human Trafficking and what to do about it
3. Contact your local school boards, principals and PTAs:
• To find out what they are doing about sex trafficking
• Urge them to get involved, are their teachers, administrators, staff, bus drivers and others aware and equipped; encourage discussions
• Host parent information/training nights
• Start an after school club focusing on sex exploitation, abuse and safety
• Meet local school counselors and offer to be a mentor for at risk girls and boys in the target age bracket
• Get a curriculum in schools to teach about teen sex exploitation and abuse
4. Give our children age-appropriate information about sex and human trafficking
5. Share information with your family, churches, schools, friends etc.
6. Re-educate on the valve and sanctity of all human life/honoring people
7. Invite knowledgeable people to speak to your Lighthouse, church and other groups, from groups such as Compassion to Act, On Eagles Wings, Justice Ministries, Men of Compassion, the FBI, Mecklenburg County Women's Commission, Restore One
8. Enlighten your spheres of influence with statistics, real life experiences and ask for financial and other types of assistance
9. Provide training to equip people to engage employees and customers in strip clubs
Prevention
1. Help prevent, through organized groups; for example, Compassion to Act, On Eagles Wings, Justice Ministries, victims who have come out of trafficking from returning
2. Put the Human Trafficking Hot Line Number 1-888-373-7888 on your phone, call for help when you suspect something, put the number in restrooms etc. [visit www.polarisproject.org; National Human Trafficking Resource Center]
3. Print and handout information regarding the Hot Line in business card like format
4. Be alert and discerning, but don't get involved as a lone ranger, report suspicious behavior to law enforcement authorities
5. Obtain and distribute information relevant to apps, filters and other ways to restrict access to pornography and other negative and harmful websites, TV programs, movies, games, etc.
6. Reach out to latch-key kids, be a community that watches and cares for teens
7. Talk to teens and get involved in their lives, listen, but do not be judgmental, do not establish conditions, do not be shocked
Treatment and Care
1. Help treat and care for victims and traffickers by providing them with information regarding available ministries and resources such as, Compassion to Act, On Eagles Wings, Justice Ministries, Men of Compassion, Restore One
2. Love is the key for both victims and traffickers
3. Before victims and traffickers are returned to the community help connect them with organizations and ministries to assist them to find jobs, community resources and relationships
4. Watch for and respond to signs of recovery and setbacks
5. Be available for committed re-parenting relationships with those at risk for trafficking or coming out of trafficking
6. Relinquish conditions or expectations of victims with whom we may work; for example, demanding that they attend church to, etc. to receive our help
7. Prepare "Care Packages" containing; for example, help flyers, a ten or twenty dollar bill, soap, toothpaste, clothing, toiletries, feminine products, water, etc. for use as follows:
• To be carried in our cars to give to victims and probable victims
• To be given to residents of safe houses
• To be donated to law enforcement and organizations for use in their rescue situations
8. Continue and increase the work of Mercy's Call/Abortion Recovery, reach out to ministries, organizations and law enforcement agencies rescuing and treating victims
Mentor
1. Work with and engage at-risk youth:
• Do not be judgmental, validate their existence
• Identify their vulnerability, the feeling that they do not matter
• Show love, establish mutual trust
2. Create healthy on-going relationships, they are easy targets if not connected to an adult
3. Rules vs. relationships – relationships are more important, let go of the rules
4. Create and raise the voice inside the at-risk population
5. Do not show shock or fear as you hear their experiences
Pornography and Human Trafficking
1. Bring pornography out of the closet, increase your knowledge regarding the connection between pornography and sex-exploitation, domestic violence and sex exploitation
2. Form a Koinonia Fellowship, men come together to help other men caught in pornography, sex addiction and trafficking
3. Invite and host open conversations with Christian women about the presence of pornography in their homes, and how they can be helped
4. Provide information regarding availability of treatments for sex and pornography addiction [www.puredesire.org "For Men"]
Show That You Care
1. Show goodness to people that you do not know, a smile goes a long way
2. Show love and compassion, acts of kindness to people
3. Boycott businesses and services that support sex and labor trafficking
4. Invite and host open conversations with married Christian women who have dead or nonexistent sex lives, offer honest advise and support
Support-Advocate
1. Contribute financially to Human Trafficking ministries and organizations and safe houses in your area, as an example, Compassion to Act's $8 a month program [www.compassiontoact.org]
2. Men volunteer to help build and maintain safe houses
3. Donate furniture, clothing, food and other items to organizations and ministries meeting the needs of victims such as Compassion to Act, On Eagles Wings, Justice Ministries, Restore One
4. Volunteer to assist our local ministries, organizations and agencies in any way to help with prevention and care; for example, transportation, grooming services, prayer support, send notes of support to recovering victims in safe houses
5. Provide personal hygiene products and "feel good items" like candles, lotions, books, puzzles, snacks
6. Meet with law enforcement agencies to find out what is going on and how you can help
7. Inform and encourage your church [men's, women's and youth groups] to get involved
8. Be a voice, get involved in the political arena, contact lawmakers [City, County, State and Congressional] to enact better laws: what do they need, how can you help, encourage them to act, reach out to them in person, mail, email, telephone, attend events they will attend and talk to them [Information is available on-line for the US Congress, State and local elected officials; for example, a search on North Carolina General Assembly will provide information regarding, members, contact information, bills being considered ]
9. We, our friends and family members, need to urge the US Senate to approve bills, which have been passed by the House of Representatives, dealing with Human Trafficking:
HR 159 HR 181 HR 246 HR 285
HR 350 HR 357 HR 398 HR 460
HR 468 HR 469 HR 514 HR 515