Raising awareness of human trafficking

Zoey Gilbreth (right), an anti-human trafficking specialist with the Crisis Intervention Center, speaks, Thursday, Jan. 11, 2024, at a lunch event titled “Something to Chew On” inside the Monarch 61 Project in Van Buren. Before guests enjoyed a meal together, Gilbreth, in honor of January being Human Trafficking Awareness Month, spoke for about an hour on how the global issue, particularly in the form of prostitution, manifests itself locally around the River Valley. Gilbreth discussed her experiences with the Crisis Intervention Center helping victims of trafficking as well as assisting law enforcement agencies in investigations at area massage parlors, truck stops and other frequently used locations. She said it can be difficult to crack down on sex trafficking operations because they will often just relocate after getting shuttered, and that individual victims are often resistant to accept help because they are convinced their livelihoods are dependent on performing sexual acts for money. Gilbreth said that, because extinguishing most existing trafficking operations is unrealistic, the best thing people can do to help alleviate the problem is to educate themselves on warning signs in order to prevent new victims from being trafficked. She recommended anyone who suspects a child or adult may be a trafficking victim to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888. While Gilbreth and her colleagues at the Crisis Intervention Unit help current victims of human trafficking, the Monarch 61 Project offers programs to assist women recovering from such abuse, including an 8-week program called RISE that focuses on mindfulness and empowerment through self-care, self-expression and self-defense. Visit rivervalleydemocratgazette.com/photo for today’s photo gallery.