DeKalb County leaders and experts will discuss human trafficking awareness and prevention at a virtual event Wednesday evening.
Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson is partnering with the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority to moderate the conversation, which will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The free event is part of the hospital authority’s “Stop The Violence” initiative.
“We must shed light on this horrendous practice, not just in January during National Human Trafficking Awareness Month, but year-round,” Cochran-Johnson said in a news release.
Human trafficking is defined by the American Civil Liberties Union as a modern form of slavery that typically involves exploitation and forced labor. The Women’s Center-Youth & Family Services estimates that between 18,000 and 20,000 victims are trafficked into the U.S. each year.
According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were 417 human trafficking cases opened in Georgia in 2019. Last year, the GBI created a human trafficking unit to address the issue in metro Atlanta, which has been labeled a human trafficking hub for more than a decade.
Wednesday’s event will feature a panel of experts from human trafficking organizations who can answer questions and provide resources to attendees. The group consists of Mary Frances Bowley, executive director for Wellspring Living, Dr. Margie Gill, executive director for Tabitha’s House, and Jennifer Swain, executive director for youthSpark.
“The number of individuals trafficked into and within the U.S. is alarming,” Beverly Burks, director of community engagement for the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority, said in the release. “The solution to human trafficking and other forms of violence is awareness, prevention and eventually prosecution.”
The FDHA Community Conversation on Violence: Human Trafficking event is open to anyone, including people outside of DeKalb. Registration is encouraged and available at 2021fdhacommunityconversationdekalb.eventbrite.com.
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