Hamilton County welcomes Red Sand Project for human trafficking awareness – WDEF

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) — This week, July 23 through July 29, is Human Trafficking Awareness Week. Hamilton County and local groups are participating in the Red Sand Project to bring awareness to the crime that enslaves and exploits men and women of all ages, including children.

A Red Sand Project event is taking place this Friday, July 28 at 10 a.m. It will be located at the Aloft Hotel in Chattanooga. The hotel's address is 2090 Hamilton Place Boulevard in Chattanooga.

This event is free to attend, but organizers ask guests to RSVP beforehand.

The project will continue at Nightfall this Friday, from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at Miller Park in Chattanooga.

During a Red Sand event, participants will fill sidewalk cracks with red sand. Organizers say this causes people to question, connect and take action against human trafficking and exploitation. Their website says this action represents those who fall through the cracks metaphorically. It adds that this may be “the cracks of our social, economic, and political systems or those of our personal consciousness.”

The TBI says human trafficking is a demand-driven crime, and one of the fastest growing criminal industries in the U.S.

The National Human Trafficking Hotline also explained that in 2021, there were 217 reported victims of human trafficking in 152 cases in Tennessee, most of which were sex trafficking cases.

That same year in Georgia, 1,065 victims were reported as human trafficking victims in 281 cases.

Organizers of the Chattanooga Red Sand Project event include Blazing Hope, Child Advocacy Center of Chattanooga, Family Justice Center, Hamilton County Health Department, Her Song, Love's Arm, Street Grace, Vision Hospitality and WillowBend Farms.

“As a survivor, I understand the importance of decreasing barriers to victims seeking services and that having a continuum of care would provide survivors with sustainable restoration. During the Red Sand event on Friday, July 28th, we will launch ‘One Voice Collective.' This collective comprises five local counter-trafficking agencies that serve the Chattanooga region; they come together as one unified voice with a mission to support survivors and prevent human trafficking,” said Sarah McKinnis, co-founder and CEO of WillowBend Farms.

The project's description says it aims to inform the public that human trafficking occurs locally, in and around Chattanooga.

The Red Sand Project started in 2014 when Molly Gochman realized human trafficking and modern-day slavery is still a reality.

“Globally, an estimated 50 million individuals are being trafficked or living in modern slavery, whether in forced marriages, forced labor, or for sexual exploitation,” their website explains.

Also recently, a film bringing awareness to these crimes hit theaters. Sound of Freedom was released on July 4, but remains at number four in the box office. To date, it has grossed more than $100 million.

The Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline can help those that need help escaping trafficking. If you know someone that needs help, call 1-855-558-6484. If you suspect you encountered a victim, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline, at 1-888-373-7888. You can also text 233722.