Human trafficking awareness events set

Psychologically, the recovery from a lifestyle of prostitution can take several years after someone gets away from it.

“It’s an uphill battle,” said Lori Basey, president of No Boundaries International, an Edmond nonprofit that works to save victims of human trafficking, prostitutionrelated crimes.

The month of January is human trafficking awareness month across the nation, and events are planned across central Oklahoma.

Basey said for the past five years she has seen trends in prostitution go from those who walk the streets to more online advertising.

Helping someone find a way to make a living and take care of themselves physically helps, but the scars can be psychological and require ongoing counseling to keep patterns from repeating.

In Edmond, the University of Central Oklahoma’s Women’s Outreach Center and American Association of University Women chapter hope to increase empowerment among faculty, staff and students to take action and provide help to those transitioning out of human trafficking situations with a series of events during Human Trafficking Awareness Week, Jan. 23-27.

“Human trafficking is a huge social injustice issue here in Oklahoma, and we should not be silent about it,” said Chrissy Kyles, 24, of Del City, graduate assistant for the Women’s Outreach Center.

“I believe by promoting education and awareness of trafficking, we can get the campus talking and empower them to take action,” Kyles said.

Human trafficking is often defined as modern-day slavery. It is the criminal act of exploiting a person through force, fraud or cohesion, and can include sex trafficking, forced labor or domestic servitude. It happens around the world to people of any nationality, age, socioeconomic status or gender, including in Oklahoma. Kyles said she knows a person who has been a victim of human trafficking.

“I want students on campus to know that it happens very close to campus,” Kyles said.

Kyles said she met a victim who said faith helped her get away from prostitution. She was able to move back in with her family before getting a job and supporting herself and her child.

Events at UCO will focus on collecting donations for No Boundaries International.

Basey said No Boundaries International has focused efforts on south Oklahoma City along S Robinson Avenue. She said there are now fewer women visibly on the streets working as prostitutes, “but a lot of it has gone online.”

She said many prostitutes advertise online.

No Boundaries International provides supportive services for people who leave the lifestyle.

Mark Woodward with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs said his agency conducts human trafficking prevention training across the state.

“We get dozens of requests every year from law enforcement and community groups to put on training, so I know our human trafficking training folks are going to be very active this month and every month going around the state doing training,” Woodward said.