ENA Continues the Fight to Stop Sex Trafficking

Anti-Slavery Human Trafficking Update!

In 2014 Engage Now Africa created a new anti-slavery initiative to address trafficking issues in our own back yard. Our domestic program is called Engage Now America and was created to help eradicate sex trafficking or slavery, specifically among child victims here in the USA.

Phoenix April 6, 2014

Pictured above is Chris Gay, ENA's West Africa Director, along with Shared Hope International founder Linda Smith after a meeting at Swift Transportation about stopping sex trafficking in the trucking industry here in US. ENA was able to bring Swift and Shared Hope International, who is a leader in this field, together.

Victims

Many of America's children are being used in the commercial sex industry. Children who are exploited through prostitution, pornography and sexual entertainment are victims of domestic minor sex trafficking. Traffickers recruit at locations that commonly attract youth; like schools, malls, parks, online and even protective shelters and group homes. Traffickers pray on vulnerable youth with histories of abuse, runaways, homelessness, and throwaways, lonely or disconnected. Warning signs are having a significantly older boyfriend, traveling with an older male who is not their guardian, special marked tattoos, substance abuse, signs of trauma, and multiple delinquent charges. Victims can be anybody's daughter, niece, cousin, friend, or neighbor. Boys can be victims as well. 

So in an effort to further help these victims and eradicate domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) in our own back yard, ENA Director, Chris Gay kept the momentum that was leftover from his last meeting with Swift transportation going. This time he helped organize a second follow up meeting with Linda Smith, President/Director/Founder, SHI (Shared Hope International), Nick Lembo, Board of Directors SHI, Co-Chair Defenders theMen of SHI and Taryn Offenbacher, Communications Director, SHI.

Also in attendance was Jerry Moyes, CEO of Swift Transportation, Nate Rowland, Training & Development Specialist for Swift and Jim Stone, Executive Director of Swift charities. We gathered together in an effort to discuss how to best eradicate sex trafficking here in America, specifically within the trucking industry where it is a big problem.

Vision & Leaders

ENA recognizes the courage it takes to look at difficult issues and values Swift Transportation's ability and desire to do this. Especially Jerry Moyes who gave his blessing to allow a collaborating with SHI so new training materials can be developed for Swift truckers. They are now a leader in the fight against sex trafficking of minors within the trucking industry and paving the way to better help victims on a greater scale. We also recognize that not all truckers are a part of the sex trafficking problem in this country. In fact we know that there are many brave and decent truckers out there that have helped and continue to help victims of sex trafficking.

However ENA & SHI want to empower many more truck drivers not just in Swift but hopefully in the other large trucking companies that exist. We plan on shining a spotlight upon this serious problem by raising awareness and providing avenues for those currently involved in creating the demand to change their ways.

It is the beginning of a beautiful collaboration to help victims in our backyard and we thank Swift and SHI for their time and dedication! More news to come.

Watch "Chosen", and how an honor-roll, cheerleader student was recruited bytraffickers.