Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Wilmington residents gather to promote awareness

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — January is Human Trafficking Prevention Month and conversations are taking place in Wilmington to promote community awareness. 

On Saturday at Ambassadors for Christ Called and Chosen near the Monkey Junction area, A Safe Place and a group of women gathered to engage in discussion on human trafficking and how to safely intervene. 

A Safe Place is a women’s organization in Wilmington that focuses on prevention, advocacy, and restoration to assist victims of commercial sexual exploitation and sex trafficking. 

Pastor Olivia Thames said that the first step to being someone’s lifeline is recognizing the warning signs. 

“Language is very important, how we use language with people that are in need of situations like that, it’s very important,” Thames said. ”We have the tendency to just want to automatically help and that person wants the help. But at the same time, do they really want it?” 

According to UNICEF, the United States is considered one of the top destination points for victims of child trafficking and exploitation.