Soroptimist Launches Trafficking Awareness Campaign Sunday
Vancouver, WA / Portland, OR- As you read this, there are women and girls right here in Clark County being held against their will. Modern day slaves, they are exploited as laborers and commercial sex workers. These wives, mothers and daughters may be off our radar – but they need our help.
The trafficking of human beings is a serious problem throughout the world. According to U.S. government estimates, 800,000–900,000 victims are trafficked globally each year and 17,500– 18,500 are trafficked into the United States. In particular, the sexual trafficking of women and girls is a widespread problem, implicating nearly every country in the world:
· Around 75 percent of all human trafficking victims are trafficked for sexual exploitation.
· There have been reports of sexual trafficking in at least 20 U.S. states.
· At any given time, there are 30,000 –50,000 sex slaves in the United States.
Clark County Soroptimist International Clubs will host a forum on Sunday, January 11, 2009 from 2-4pm at the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver, Washington to bring more awareness to this modern day plague that is becoming a growing concern and problem in our own backyard.
Come hear keynote speakers: James Pond from Transitions Global and Liz Ferguson of Shared Hope International whose organizations continue to rescue individuals each and every day from this modern-day slavery.
Soroptimist is an international organization for business and professional women who work to improve the lives of women and girls, in local communities and throughout the world. Almost 95,000 Soroptimists in about 120 countries and territories contribute time and financial support to community–based and international projects that benefit women and girls.
The name, Soroptimist, means "best for women," and that's what the organization strives to achieve. Soroptimists are women at their best, working to help other women to be their best.
This free forum will offer refreshments, speakers, and resources. For more information on this National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness please call Mary Weber at (360) 608-5315 or Marilyn Brown at (360) 833-1828.
For additional information about Soroptimist and human trafficking, please visit http://www.soroptimist.org/trafficking/trafficking.html
1 comment:
Transitions Global is looking forward to participating in the upcoming event. This is a great event to come and learn about what is happening globally, as well as, right in your own backyard. See you all there.
James Pond, Executive Director
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