This week, HUmanity hosted “Freedom Week” to raise awareness for human trafficking.
HUmanity is a campus chapter of the International Justice Mission. Members seek to raise awareness and take action against human trafficking.
“We have three goals for Freedom Week: to raise awareness and educate the student body about the multi-faceted and rapidly growing industry of human trafficking, to raise money for organizations that we work with so they can continue the wonderful work that they do and to train up volunteers,” junior member of HUmanity Dylan Treadwell said.
During Freedom Week, HUmanity participated in and hosted events on campus and in the community every day.
“Freedom Week allows you to gain awareness for what human trafficking really is, because not a lot of people know or understand the reality of it all,” freshman HUmanity member Alisha Urban said. “It is eye opening but in a good way; it shows you there is a need for you to help.”
Events during the week included: a Texas vs. The World competition to raise money for Partners Against Trafficking Humans (P.A.T.H.), which is a non-profit in Little Rock; an after-dinner tea talk to benefit Not For Sale, an organization that strives to end human trafficking; a silent auction for art donated by students and people in the community; a showing of “Nefarious: Merchant of Souls”; a devotional and candlelight vigil for victims of human trafficking; and a “Stand for Freedom,” in which people signed up to “stand” to raise awareness about human trafficking.
“We have gotten great feedback from people who have been at the events this week,” senior member Bailee Searcey said. “Most people have at least some concept of human trafficking; the biggest shock is knowing that it’s going on in America, and even Searcy.
To end the week, Louise Allison from PATH will conduct a training seminar at Fellowship Bible Church from 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. on Saturday. In order to work with victims at the shelter in Little Rock, the presentation will involve an in-depth look at sex trafficking and a lesson on how to approach victims in public. At the end of the day, participants in the seminar will be certified to work with victims of human trafficking.
