Together, We Can Do Better

A new grassroots initiative combats the crisis of human trafficking in the Cape Fear region.

Human trafficking is an unthinkable crime with astonishingly high statistics. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime says the United States is ranked one of the worst countries globally for human trafficking with an estimated 199,000 incidents every year.

Existing in every region of the world, this criminal enterprise generates $150 billion per year according to the International Labor Organization.

It may not be the largest numbers that surprise you the most, but rather the smallest. Seven. This is the average number of years trafficking victims can expect to live if they are unable to break free from their trafficker and the majority never do.

Sex trafficking is one of five types of human trafficking and it is modern slavery. It is defined by performing commercial sex through the use of force, fraud or coercion.

Trafficking is a crisis that affects millions of people, including many from our own country, state and community. North Carolina has been ranked in the top 10 states in the nation for reports of human trafficking. The creation of I-40 into Wilmington was a blessing in that it moves people to the region, but it also quickly became an artery for the billion-dollar sex industry. Interstates 85 and 95, along with the locations of the state’s military bases and the port system, contribute to the increase.

Read the Full Article Here.