Protest held in Wilmington hopes to aim awareness of human trafficking

WILMINGTON (WWAY) — A group of people came together on the steps of the New Hanover County Courthouse to hold a protest against trafficking on Sunday.

According to the Department of State, more than 27 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking at any given time.

None of the people who participated in the protest have been trafficked themselves. However, the protest’s organizer, Vanessa Lussier, believes she may have seen human trafficking first hand.

Five years ago, she was working at a motel where she met a man traveling with a young girl who was afraid to talk or even look at her. She says she didn’t recognize the signs then, and hopes people will learn what to look for.

“There’s a phrase that people have been using called SOAR which is ‘Stop, Observe, Ask and Respond.’ So, just ask people if you think that there’s any indication at all of abuse or that someone isn’t in complete control of their life. Just try to make a little effort and see what’s going on,” Lussier said.