Help prevent slavery and human trafficking

News-Press, Ft. Myers, FL

 January 12, 2012

On January 1, 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and on February, 1, 1865, he signed the 13^th Amendment to the Constitution which abolished slavery in the United States.  Almost 150 years have passed, yet slavery in the United States still exists. Through a Presidential Proclamation, January has been designated National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month to commemorate the past steps and to highlight current needs and efforts to fight this crime today.

SW Floridians have worked hard to fight slavery through task forces and community coalitions since 2004. We have a growing awareness that slaves today are found not only in foreign countries or among the foreign-born in this country, but also among our own children. Labor exploitation and slavery continues to grow, both locally and globally. Many of us recognize that some of our food such as tomatoes from Immokalee and the chocolate we enjoy often are products of the slave trade. Georg Koszulinski, director of “Immokalee USA,” and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers brought this message home at a recent event at Edison State College.

Sex trafficking is also increasing. According to extensive research by Shared Hope International, the average age of entry into the sex trade by American girls is 12-14. These girls often live at home and go to school while they are being tricked by traffickers into the sex trade. Awareness of these problems is not enough - we must do something to prevent slavery in our own time.

Toward this end, Edison State College, the Zonta Club of Sanibel-Captiva, Human Trafficking Awareness Partnerships and student groups are joining forces to offer a series of three events which highlight labor trafficking, domestic minor sex trafficking and local efforts to fight and prevent all forms of slavery. You can participate in the next event focusing on domestic minor sex trafficking and then in a forum on local efforts in law enforcement, human services and citizen advocacy which will discuss recent local cases of labor and sex trafficking.

On January 19 at 6 pm, local organizations will display their work to serve victims and educate citizens. At 7 pm, Theresa Flores, a survivor of human trafficking and now author and social worker will tell her own story. In the 1980’s, Theresa was a middle-class, Irish-Catholic, 15-year-old girl who was coerced into the sex trade even as she was living at home with loving parents who were unaware of what was happening to her. She is a dynamic speaker who has used her own experience to educate thousands of people around the country and to motivate them to take action to help those who being victimized today.

Concluding the series, on January 26, at 7 pm, a panel discussion headed by Chief Asst. US Attorney Nicole Waid will include local law enforcement representatives, coalition leaders and human service providers to discuss local action and partnerships. Opportunities for citizens to participate in our own era’s efforts to prevent human trafficking and protect victims of slavery will be made available by local organizations. Slavery is a huge problem today. You can do something about it.

All programs will be held at Edison State College, Lee Campus, Building U, Room 102. Registration is not required and there is no admission charge, though contributions toward additional programs will be accepted. For further information about these programs and other opportunities to learn about human trafficking, contact Nola Theiss, Executive Director of Human Trafficking Awareness Partnerships at 239-395-2635 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Submitted by Nola Theiss, founder and executive director of Human Trafficking Awareness Partnerships.