Seminar Aims To Help People Spot Potential Human Trafficking Victims

TUPELO, Miss. (WCBI) – Two Memphis men, who admitted in federal court that they brought women to Oxford on several occasions for prostitution purposes, were sentenced to prison late last month.  The case showed that human trafficking happens in North Mississippi.   Now,  a diverse group of professionals is taking proactive steps to spot the signs of human trafficking and hopefully save potential victims.

The animated video is produced by a non profit called Shared Hope International and encourages people to learn how to spot victims of human trafficking.

That’s what brought educators, first responders, social workers and other concerned citizens to this human trafficking seminar at Tupelo’s All Saints Episcopal Church.

Ashlee Lucas , is with the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security. She went over warning signs that an individual is being trafficked, such as unexplained absences from school,  displaying expensive clothes, accessories or shoes, or having signs of physical abuse.

Lucas encouraged people to report their suspicions to law enforcement.

“Better to be safe than sorry, if you see something, say something, and I really believe that,” said Hannah Maharrey, who is with the Family Resource Center of North Mississippi and wanted to bring the seminar to Tupelo, after hearing a similar presentation last month.

Lindsay Brett is principal at Plantersville Middle School and says the seminar was informative and eye opening.

“I guess what I learned in this particular session is how rampant it is even in our area, and I also learned it’s not only sex trafficking but labor trafficking as well so I’m going to be a lot more aware of the labor trafficking, I’ve known to look for sex trafficking but labor trafficking is what has been interesting,” Brett said.

Human trafficking may not be a pleasant subject to talk about, but organizers of the seminar are hopeful it’s a first step to educating locals about a problem that knows no geographical boundaries.

Those at the seminar also learned that pimps find a majority of human trafficking victims on social media.

sharedhope.org