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HCE holding human trafficking seminar Thursday

The Fayette County Home and Community Education Board is presenting a free seminar on awareness of the sordid practice of human trafficking – the bondage, bartering and selling of humans for profit.

While using people, especially, but not restricted to, children, is an ages-old practice and still common in some Third World countries, it is an immoral and appalling invasion of human rights.
It is destructive to the victim, whatever their age, robbing them of self-esteem, dignity, health and for children, their childhood, ability to trust and, sadly, to even dream of a better life.
We tend to place this practice happening in other countries and larger cities, but it can, and is happening in the United States … and has happened in Fayette County.
This Thursday, the Fayette County HCE Board is holding a free, public seminar to help make the public aware of human trafficking, as part of a large effort by caring people and organizations in the United States to condemn and end this shameful slavery of humans for the profit of men and women devoid of any integrity, morals, and humanity and goodness.
As awareness of the practice has increased and of those who have escaped and survived, safe homes are being made available for them in which they can heal and begin a new life.
Some Facts
• Children are trafficked in: commercial sex, domestic servitudes, factories, construction, farming and landscaping, fisheries, hotels and tourism, panhandling, janitorial services and restaurants.
• The U.S. is the second destination country for human trafficking, one person being sold for $250,000 before resale.
• Surprisingly, traffickers do not appear “smart or slick”; most are the ”mom and pop” types. The average age taken for girls is 12-14 and for boys 7-9.
Be Watchful & Aware
Although not enough warning can be given to guard and protect children, most are not kidnapped; they are, instead, gotten through mind games, and some are trafficked within blocks of their home.
Some older siblings traffic younger siblings, as do some older relatives.  
Precious “Commodities”…
… are our children regarded, by the traffickers, because drugs or other  items can be sold only once; but  a child can be “sold” a number of times.
A trafficker can make $500 with one child in one day.
T-Shirts, Old and New, Wanted
The residents of the safe homes want to also contribute to their needs and are making very attractive, colorful jewelry out of T-shirts cut into narrow strips.
The HCE Units members and friends of the Fayette HCE are collecting clean, both new and used and of any color, for their use.
It doesn’t matter if the shirt is stained or has holes in it, because they are cut into strips to make the jewelry.
Any T-shirts brought to the seminar as donations will be appreciated, but they are not mandatory for attendance.  
The Public is Invited …
… to this free informational seminar.
Carolyn Daniels, a former director of SAFE will be a featured speaker.
Also speaking are Annie Shumaker and Patricia McNight.  McKnight escaped and is a survivor of human trafficking and has published a book, “My Justice,” in her effort to make others aware of the practice.
The seminar will be held from 1:30-3:30 p.m. on Thursday at Northside Christian Church in Vandalia.
The Rev. PeeWee Denton will be in attendance for prayer. Refreshments will be served.
 

Carolyn Daniels

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