Local organizations bring awareness to human trafficking in East Texas
LONGVIEW, Texas — ‘Sound of Freedom' is new movie out in theatres that bringing awareness to human and sex trafficking in children across central America. Local organizations are also bringing awareness to these issues on July 30th which is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.
“It's happening among us,” said Deanna Gatlin, co-founder of HEPTA, a human trafficking coalition in East Texas that helps survivors who were in trafficking situations. HEPTA, along with other organizations, will be hosting a prayer gathering outside the Gregg County Courthouse starting at 3 p.m. on July 30.
“It's a global epidemic, some of the people feel like it's only in big cities, or maybe just overseas somewhere in a foreign country. But it is happening here in our community unfortunately,” Gatlin said.
This new coalition stemmed out of Hannah House, an organization that helps with unplanned pregnancies.
“Through Hannah House, we have women that come in out of trafficking situations that are pregnant. So when those numbers were rising, I just felt a calling to bring something to Longview,” said Director of Hannah House Maternity Home, Melanie Wright.
Gatlin and Wright are glad to see ‘Sound of Freedom' is bringing awareness to the world of what human trafficking looks like, which is why they're bringing that awareness closer to home.
“Awareness is the big key. We need people to recognize that it does happen, it's not something that just happens in movies,” Gatlin said.
In their prayer gathering, they want to make community members aware of some red flags to know if someone is being trafficked.
“We believe that if we're facing this darkness we have to be in prayer. We have to pray over the city and over these children, who are our next organization,” Wright said.
A community effort to bring awareness to an issue happening under our noses. “It's hard to see what's happening around us,” Gatlin said.
For more information on the prayer gathering, you can click HERE
This “Eyes on Trafficking” story is reprinted from its original online location.
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EYES ON TRAFFICKING
This “Eyes on Trafficking” story is reprinted from its original online location.
ABOUT PBJ LEARNING
PBJ Learning is a leading provider of online human trafficking training, focusing on awareness and prevention education. Their interactive Human Trafficking Essentials online course is used worldwide to educate professionals and individuals how to recognize human trafficking and how to respond to potential victims. Learn on any web browser (even your mobile phone) at any time.
More stories like this can be found in your PBJ Learning Knowledge Vault.