LETTERS: Expert to speak on human trafficking | Palm Coast Observer

Expert to speak on human trafficking

Dear Editor:

January is National Human Trafficking Awareness month, and the Flagler Tiger Bay Club welcomes Tomas Lares, award-winning advocate and leader of United Abolitionists, as our luncheon speaker at the Hammock Dunes Club on Thursday, Jan. 19.

We don't see much human trafficking in Flagler County, just like I didn't see much human trafficking in Orange County prior to 2011.

That was despite it competing annually with Las Vegas for convention center space and hotel rooms.

Following training, my eyes were opened to the state of this issue, and I had the opportunity to help my agency redirect our response to commercial sex trafficking as well as other forms of exploitation.

The legal definition of human trafficking is compelling people to act against their own interests by using force, fraud and coercion.

The child wearing a traffic vest and carrying a plastic bin going door to door in a neighborhood is being exploited by an adult. The college-age people selling subscriptions for scholarships at your door ride in passenger vans from state to state, not knowing where they are waking up tomorrow. (They are not getting a scholarship, and you have just been defrauded.)

As we see on the news too often, online classifieds front for prostitution activities.

During my quarter-century career in law enforcement, I never saw crime perpetuated with such evil arrogance as the modern enslavement of people.

I hope every student, advocate, counselor, detective, and emergency room nurse who desires to come to this luncheon is encouraged by their employer to attend. Check out our website, Flaglertigerbayclub.com, to register.

Roland Clee

Executive Director, Flagler Tiger Bay Club, Flagler Beach