Kiwanis hear from Ramey about human trafficking – Greensboro News and Record

REIDSVILLE — Rob Ramey, a leader at Project Lost Sheep, recently spoke to the Reidsville Kiwanis Club about the problem of human trafficking in the United States and in Rockingham County.

He explained that his agency monitors the crimes and that North Carolina ranks 9th in the U.S. for sex trafficking and Rockingham County is not free of the tragic problem.

Worldwide, India has the highest incidence of human trafficking crimes, followed by China, Ramey said.

The United States is seeing its problem with trafficking grow rapidly, Ramey said, explaining that people as young as 12, both female and male, are prey to traffickers. These youths may have either been abandoned, run away from home, or turned to drugs, making them ideal targets for criminals seeking to exploit them for money.

Traffickers typically promise such young people money and material goods, grooming them to feel beholden to the predators and do what they demand.

Such traffickers force their victims to labor with 80% being assaulted physically, sexually, and verbally. The traffickers send victims to work in the sex industry, placing them at truck stops, hotels or through residential escort services.

Other victims may be forced to be photographed for pornography, Ramey said.  Human trafficking is known as the “silent crime” as victims so often do not want to talk about it.

This shame makes it hard to identify the perpetrators. Ramey said there are some ways to identify potential victims if you observe them closely.

They often appear unkempt, shy, and isolated from others. If you suspect someone fits such a profile, notify police and give them as much information as you can about a suspected victim.

For further information, email PROJECTLOSTSHEEP.ORG or call 336-649-3020.

The Kiwanis Club meets each Thursday at noon at the Main Street Methodist Church Fellowship Hall in Reidsville. Visitors are welcome.