01/17/2017

Human Trafficking--What can we do about it?

Hello again from the SOS WELCA Task Force on Human Trafficking!  During this month we want to let you know what YOU can do to help end modern day slavery.  Be watchful over those you know and love.  In her book, The Slave Across the Street, page 162, Theresa Flores lists things we all can do to protect those around us.

• Being aware and watchful is the first step.  Ask questions, know their world, their interests.
• Know who they spend time with.
• Check that they are sound asleep in their beds each night.
• Never let down your guard.

It is also important to know the signs that someone might be a victim of human trafficking.  Some of the signals Flores lists on page 164 include:

• Bruises or other signs of physical abuse
• Frequent body soreness
• Fear
• Depression
• Sudden change in behavior
• Sudden drop in grades
• New set of friends, particularly older ones who are unfriendly and distant to adults
• Dropping out of activities they used to enjoy
• Has a boyfriend who is noticeably older

This week we will leave you with this quote:

“Sharpen your claws against wrong doing, against human suffering. Have ears like owls, hear what the child isn’t telling you. Have eyes like a hawk so you might see all that passes before you. Be brave like a bear and have the courage of a mother lion to save our young.”
― Theresa L. Flores, The Slave Across the Street  page 166

Here is a reminder of events coming up in the Central Ohio Area:

Saturday, January 28, from 9:00am – 1:45pm at the Reynoldsburg High School Summit Road Campus, 8579 Summit Rd, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068.  The Reynoldsburg Youth Human Trafficking Coalition will host their annual "Break Every Chain" Community Human Trafficking Conference. The theme this year is Human Trafficking and the Heroin Epidemic. This conference is free and open to the public. Come learn about human trafficking and the heroin epidemic in Ohio from experts from the Ohio Attorney General's Office. You will also hear from a survivor of human trafficking and an expert panel of local professionals working on fighting human trafficking in your community. The event is free, but you can purchase a $5.00 box lunch the day of event during registration check-in.  Register on-line at https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-reynoldsburg-youth-human-trafficking-coalition-12229947531

Thursday and Friday, February 2 - 3, 2017 from 8:30 - 4:30 at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium, there is a two-day event:  The 8th Annual Ohio Human Trafficking Awareness Day & The 1st Annual Ohio Human Trafficking Youth Prevention Summit.  This event is totally free and hosted by State Representative Teresa Fedor.  You can register for the free event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/8th-annual-ohio-human-trafficking-awareness-day-youth-summit-tickets-28770533440 or contact Jen Stack at 614-644-6017.

Other ways you can help

Do you need an event catered?  Do you have any parishioners who regularly have catered "lunch meetings" at their corporate offices?  Look into Freedom a la Cart, a food-catering company that provides catering services from "boxed" lunches to more sophisticated meals.  The catering company provides superior quality food that is competitively priced, but its primary purpose is helping human-trafficking victims learn new skills.  The Task Force has used the company and we really liked it!  You can contact Freedom a la Cart online at freedomalacart.org or call 614-992-3252.