The Fight Against Modern Day Slavery is in Your Backyard

Recently, a local Texas Investigator mentioned in an interview, “It's hard for me to believe how the biggest free country in the world can have the most slaves in the world."

But he wasn’t talking about what you probably think.

In 2010, for the first time, the United States was ranked in the State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons Report that documents human trafficking and modem slavery in America. The report found that throughout the United States, men, women, and children were subject to trafficking for "forced labor, debt bondage, and forced prostitution." 

Women are normally the victims that come to mind in regards to human trafficking, but men and children are affected as well. 

The study found that there are more than 300,000 victims of human trafficking in Texas, including almost 79,000 minors and youth victims of sex trafficking and nearly 234,000 adult victims of labor trafficking. 

Meaning ... no one is exempt.

But that was 10 years ago. The trafficking of humans is and has been, a growing problem in this country – especially for Texas. As one of the largest border states in the United States, it is considered a major destination and transit state for human trafficking. 

Yet despite the shocking statistics and the brutality of human trafficking, it is a crime that still has not fully captured the attention of the public nor made it to the top of political agendas. 

But warriors are standing up to fight for freedom

C7 Human Trafficking Coalition is an organization that serves 7 counties in North Texas starting in Dallas and Tarrant County and reaching up to the Oklahoma border. Currently, with over 50 member organizations and agencies, a wide range of services are provided to aid the prevention, rescue, and healing of those who have experienced human trafficking.

Trafficking is a complex issue that touches people from many different areas. It’s not just a physical act that causes physical repercussions. It’s a trauma that affects the innermost fibers of a human being. Emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, and physiologically – the brain, body, and soul are impacted. 

There are more than 300,000 victims of human trafficking in Texas.

Many C7 members serve mainly victims of sex trafficking, which is the force, fraud, or coercion of others into sexual exploitation. Yet, while many organizations focus on sex trafficking, they don’t narrow down their scope of services as a coalition. Labor trafficking is another form of trafficking C7 strives to fight against and prevent in both rural and metropolitan areas. 

The strength of the C7 Human Trafficking Coalition lies with its members. Rather than just one agency fighting against the social injustice of trafficking, dozens of organizations are partnering and collaborating to make a greater impact, both in Denton and surrounding counties.

This allows a wider variety of professionals, resources, and areas of expertise to serve all the different aspects of trafficking that come together. 

In this case, you can’t be all things to all people. 

C7 both understands and embodies this.

In regards to dealing with victims of trauma, time does not heal all wounds. That philosophy couldn’t be farther from the truth. Without qualified therapy and help, victims carry the weight of their abuse and experiences on their own, and restoration is stunted. 

Wounds from trauma do not heal on their own.

With so many aspects of their identities, it takes a village–rather, an army–to help put the pieces back together again. For them to even have a chance of being who they were created and destined to be, it takes everyone coming together and restoring their inner core.

Speaking of time, this process takes a lot of time. Ushering people into restoration and healing is not, and cannot, be a quick fix. It’s a long process that requires years of intense help and support.

For this reason alone, it is important to put resources into the prevention of human trafficking. It’s much easier and cost-efficient to prevent someone from being traumatized than it is to rebuild them once they’ve been shattered into a million pieces.

Which is why ...  

The fight starts with education and awareness

There’s strength in numbers.

One human trafficking task force worker recently said, “Texas needs to develop a sustainable plan for the long-term viability of its war on human trafficking." 

This is exactly what the C7 Human Trafficking Coalition aims to achieve. Their ultimate purpose is to serve and strengthen their partner organizations—the people fighting on the front lines—as well as the community.

They offer various trainings and tools that help strengthen the agencies and guide people from the community who want to get involved in fighting trafficking. Focused on community education and awareness, the more the community can understand what trafficking is (and what it isn’t), the greater chance we have at ultimately eradicating trafficking altogether. 

Truthful understanding in the community helps build up members, make them more efficient, and bring them more educated donors and volunteers who are passionate about stopping human trafficking. 

You see, we can’t just focus on helping victims; we need to focus on stopping people from being victimized in the first place. 

“Texas needs to develop a sustainable plan for the long-term viability of its war on human trafficking." 

Over the last year, C7 has been in collaboration with the Office of the Texas Governor’s child sex trafficking team and helped develop a Response Protocol for child sex trafficking victims in Denton County. 

Ensuring no child falls through the cracks, this program created a plan of action to be followed for each child victim who is identified as being at risk, victimized, or recovered from human trafficking. Every expert from CPS workers, to law enforcement, knows exactly what to do to ensure that each child gets the wrap-around care they need, for as long as they need it.

Just launched September 1st of this year and amidst the challenges and slowdowns of COVID-19 no less, this has been a massive project and a huge step forward. Very few counties have this protocol set in place, which makes Denton County a trailblazer that can help set the standard for all Texas counties.

This is the kind of work the C7 Human Trafficking Coalition fights for.

Want to know more?

C7 is hosting a blood drive to help with the shortage of blood at Denton Regional Hospital at 11 am on November 7th at Serve Denton. 

Coalition members will have tables set up with information regarding their organizations, what they do, and how they are fighting human trafficking. Serving dual purposes, blood will be donated, and awareness shared. 

Information regarding what trafficking is and how you can help prevent it in your own home is the true prize, but in case you’re looking for something sweeter, candy and games will be waiting.

Come one, come all - and bring your kids! This will be a COVID-friendly, socially distanced outdoor event for all who wish to attend.

This is your chance to join the fight, and learn how you can be a part of ending one of our greatest social injustices.