How to Help Local Human Trafficking Victims
There is power in a name.
In Human Trafficking, the buyer has a name- the John. The Sarah Movement is giving the item being sold a name, a voice and a personal story to help identify local victims. The public needs to know and understand that there is a person behind every article’s headline.
‘Sarah’ means Princess of All People- from its Hebrew origins. This is the goal of the Sarah Movement: To call on the community to redeem these girls/women to their rightful place- loved. We will partner with existing services for juveniles and fill in the gap for transitional services for adults. In the power of a unified community, there is no age limit to redemptions.
On November 7th, a group of speakers and a concert event will help our community better understand at Cooper City Church of God(9191 Stirling Rd.). The event, “Bring Sarah Home,” will benefit the opening of a local safe house. There is a local need for this type of service. Florida ranks in the top 3 for the nation’s Human Trafficking cases.
So, who is Sarah?
“Sarah” was 12 years old when she enjoyed joining clubs and started to be a little more active in our community. She was cheerful and eager to help. She never left Coral Springs and trusted the leaders around her. ‘He’ was a mid-20’s charismatic man that saw her insecurities and desire to be accepted. It started as a friendship in her mind- He was ‘grooming’ her. He gained her trust and began to criticize some of her actions and reward others. He praised her and gave her spending money, then verbally abused her. He set her schedule, told her what to wear and said he loved her. After her rescue, it took her years to realize this was not love. More of this personal story and others like it will be shared through safe and appropriate channels like events for awareness and training.
Sadly, “Sarah’s” story is not unique in our community. More and more children and young women are being lured into the human trafficking industry every day. This is a growing problem that crosses all social and economic classes, and it’s happening right here in Coral Springs, our own backyard, to our own children.
Human trafficking is the commoditization of humans, a 32 Billion dollar industry worldwide. According to the National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, at least 100,000 children are used in prostitution every year in the United States (NCMEC), with an average age of entry into the industry of 13 years old. American children are easy targets, pre-teen and adolescent girls are especially susceptible to the deception of traffickers. They’re targeted in malls, in their schools, by men they date, and even in their friend’s homes.
Because we as a community are so unaware of what is going on around us, our children have become easy targets. Attending the November 7th event or getting involved with The Sarah Movement will help you become more aware and equipped to respond.
Human Trafficking is modern day slavery. Criminalized under both federal and Florida law, it is defined as the transporting, soliciting, recruiting, harboring, providing, or obtaining of another person for transport; for the purposes of forced labor, domestic servitude or sexual exploitation using force, fraud and/or coercion.
Our “Sarah” didn’t end her journey at the point of rescue. Once she was free, she faced a new set of problems. How do you go back to living a normal life after something like that happens to you? How do you learn to trust people again? Severe trauma changes the way you view yourself and the world around you. She needs help and a supportive community. Today, she works with the founders of the Sarah Movement and other organizations to help people understand and properly serve the needs of our area. She will turn her trauma into a victory that helps others find healing. You can support “Sarah” and others like her by being informed and active within the community.
If you believe you are a victim of Human Trafficking or suspect an adult is a victim of human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-3737-888. If you suspect a child is a victim, please call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE.
If you cannot attend the event on November 7, please consider a donation. For more info, see www.SarahMovement.org