[Figmo Bohica]

human trafficking - Did you know that Lake and Sumter Counties in Central Florida has the most slaves in the United States.

Subtitle of story: modern-day slavery in Lake and Sumter

Read it, then get mad, really mad and demand that something be done, as this could be your son, daughter, or grandkids.

Dealing n Flesh - Central Florida has the second highest number of child sex trafficking cases in the United States. With almost 40,000 homeless or runaway kids on Florida's streets ar any given time, our area draws predators from around the world.

Should we be proud of this or should we be soing something about it?

[bestmickey]

Hmmm. Pretty interesting that locals don't seem very interested in this topic. That's shocking.

Perhaps the thread title is just not drawing people in. After all, I don't think lots of people care about "Style Magazine". Perhaps if you modify the thread title to read something to the effect of "Sex Slavery in Lake/Sumter County", more people would view the thread and maybe join together to try to do something? Certainly something should and can be done. I don't have any bright ideas, since I haven't yet given it much thought. If I was local, I'd contact you so we could perhaps come up with a plan, if you were interested in doing something.

How many kids have been abducted, to be made sex slaves (rhetorical question)? They are so helpless. Very sad.

[ilovetv]

Is there a link to the article? That could be why only one response has been posted. I googled it but couldn't find the magazine nor by searching for an article with the exact words quoted.

[mgjim]

I couldn't find a link to this article either but I did find this Florida organization that is leading the fight against human trafficking.

Florida Coalition Against* Human* Trafficking - Home

This is a national disgrace and we can't hide from it just because we live in a bubble. I once had a neighbor in Italy chastise me because, as he put it, "America is a great place but you Americans don't know how to take care of your children!"

[Midge538]

Originally Posted by ilovetv

Is there a link to the article?

March Lake & Sumter STYLE

[skyguy79]

Here is a link for the Florida section of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. When I spend 10 years as Administrator and Webmaster for a large website, I had an application that was provided by this organization that would constantly display different children that were missing so any visitor would be able to view it.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children - Florida

[jane032657]

I am not suprised by this sad to say. When I lived in British Columbia, I was the Country Director for Canada for the Canadian Domestic Program for Save the Children Canada. Most of my young staff were youth who were victims of the commercial sexual exploitation of children. I also sat on an international Save the Children Child Rights Committee. I attended the North American Summit with Canada, The US and Mexico to discuss the cross border trafficking issue of youth in North America. From there, I took a delegation of youth, my staff, to Yokohama, Japan to attend the World Syposium on the Commerical Sexual Exploitation of Children and Youth where 133 countries were in attendance. My staff presented a very high level paper they wrote called Exit Routes, which was written by experiential youth trying to help other youth exit the sex trade. The stories throughout the world are beyond shocking, I could be very detailed but not in this forum. In the United States, youth are sold within and outside of the country. They are raped and sodomized and beaten and threatened. They are pumped with drugs and alcohol and sometimes poison. They are cut off from families, friends and life as they ever knew it. Knowing about this issue is a begining, and I can tell you if you want to make a difference, start within your own extended families and friends and pay attention to the youth and teenagers-all of them. Because youth who seem strong and youth who are troubled are all equally vulnerable. Provide an open ear to a youth you may see in trouble on the streets, offer a cell phone so they can make a call home, buy them a meal and hear their story, offer to get them to a safe house or a police station. You will be amazed how close to home the issue can be sometimes.

[islandgal]

Originally Posted by Midge538

March Lake & Sumter STYLE

Pages 46-53

I was absolutely stunned and saddened when I read this article.
Yes, we do live in a bubble.
There is also an article in today's Orlando paper:

Daily Commercial - <p>Home opens for trafficking victims</p>

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Figmo Bohica

human trafficking - Did you know that Lake and Sumter Counties in Central Florida has the most slaves in the United States.

Subtitle of story: modern-day slavery in Lake and Sumter

Read it, then get mad, really mad and demand that something be done, as this could be your son, daughter, or grandkids.



Should we be proud of this or should we be soing something about it?

I would have to see where these statistics are coming from.

I did find this which back up the idea that FL is a central hub in human trafficking along with NY and CA. http://www.flnow.org/trafficking.html

The article does go into what people can do to help with stopping human trafficking.

[ilovetv]

Originally Posted by Midge538

March Lake & Sumter STYLE

THANKS! Also, readers please take note: There are 3 pages of listings of Local Children's Services and Advocacy Agencies with which we could get involved.

[Tom Hannon]

THanks to Figmo for bringing up this subject.
I have been doing extensive research about the topic of human trafficking for years. It was brought to my attention from a friend who works in an organization that rebuilds the victims lives with housing and medical care. He asked me to write a novel about this horrible issue. Trafficking has passed arms and ammunition as the second most profitable underground business (after illegal drug sales). The story is still a work in progress. The average age of trafficking victims is 12-14 years old, but there are many (too many) children half that age.
Human trafficking is a terrible crime that nobody is aware of and it doesn't only happen in third world countries. (The United States is one of the largest destinations for supply.) If you Goggle Human Trafficking you would be shocked about this horrible crime. Yes, it happens in our own backyard.