Human trafficking is happening in Michiana — but that doesn’t mean it can’t go away. Here are 7 things everyone can do to help fight and prevent human trafficking.
1. Learn how to spot a human trafficking victim or trafficker
Victims and their traffickers can look like family (and sometimes are), but in many cases there are clues that something bad is going on — you just need to know what to look for. Attend the Human Trafficking in Michiana panel discussion on March 15. Find trainings from organizations like Bashor Children’s Home and the Indiana Youth Institute and get involved.
2. Get informed
Invite friends over to watch Ashton Kutcher’s testimony on human trafficking to the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee or a documentary like At the End of Slavery: The Battle for Justice or In Plain Sight. Read books about human trafficking like The Slave Next Door and Renting Lacy. Share these documentaries and books with friends.
3. Focus on the law
Call and write your elected officials — local, state and federal — and ask them how they are addressing human trafficking issues in our community. Stay informed about efforts to pass laws and provide police trainings on human trafficking.
4. Donate to anti-trafficking and victim services organizations
Human trafficking victims need a lot of care because of the severity of mental, emotional and often sexual abuse they experience while being trafficked. Look for businesses and organizations that support anti-human trafficking efforts and donate money to help them with their mission.
5. Start conversations
Talk about human trafficking with your family, friends, co-workers, classmates and neighbors. Tell them how to recognize human trafficking and invite them to trainings too. If more people recognize the signs and realize the scope of the issue, the more victims that can be saved.
6. Volunteer
Look for organizations that fight human trafficking or serve trafficking victims, like Bashor Children’s Home, and spend time there. Mentor pre-teens and teenagers, who are most at-risk to become trafficked.
7. Save 1-888-373-7888 in your phone
That’s the number for the National Human Trafficking Hotline. If you suspect someone is a victim, call 911 or the hotline for immediate help.
Interested in learning more about how you can help stop human trafficking in our community? Attend the Human Trafficking in Michiana panel discussion on March 15 in Elkhart, hosted by Bashor Children’s Home and Global Link Distribution. Seating is limited, so register today.
Note: This event is presented by Federated Media Engaged. Federated Media Engaged and 95.3 MNC are both subsidiaries of Federated Media.
