Central Texas Rotarians will kick off a campaign to educate the public with knowledge of how to prevent the exploitation of their children, friends and neighbors at the Rotary District 5870 Foundation Gala on Saturday, Jan. 29, at the Sheraton Austin-Georgetown and Conference Center.
Human trafficking — essentially the buying and selling of human beings -- is the fastest growing illegal enterprise in the world generating more than $152 billion per year ($9.8 billion in the U.S.).
 
The Rotary campaign will host the Global Connections International (GCI) Human Trafficking Trailer for 10 days throughout Central Texas to provide human trafficking awareness and prevention information. The trailer will be open to the public 10AM to 2PM on Sunday, Jan. 30, at the Sheraton in Georgetown and again on Saturday, Feb. 5, at the Bell County Youth Fair in Belton.
 
"There are more than 40 million human trafficking victims worldwide with approximately two million in the United States, Global Connections International President and CEO Jim Weber said. “Approximately 500,000 children are sold for sex repeatedly each year in the U.S. with 12-14 year olds being a largely targeted group."
 
“Whether we realize it or not, human slavery exists in every community in Central Texas,” Rotary District 5870 Governor Beverly Luedke said.  “Whether it is adult labor or youth sex trafficking, I cannot think of a better group to carry the banner to fight this human injustice than Rotarians. We in District 5870 can and will make a difference.”
In addition to being open to the general public on Jan. 30 and Feb. 5, Weber and the trailer will also visit CD Fulkes Middle School in Round Rock on Jan. 31, Flatonia High School on Feb. 1, Salado High School on Feb. 3, McGregor High School on Feb. 4, Clifton High School on Feb. 7 and Marlin High School on Feb. 8.
The school visits will focus on teaching students and parents that in a majority of cases, traffickers use social media/the Internet to identify and research victims in order to force or coerce them into labor, services, or sex acts for financial gain of the trafficker. Teaching students and parents the tools that traffickers use is essential to fight it.