January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month
This year, it is my desire to give back. Be it with my time, talent or treasure, I want to participate in endeavors that I feel make a real difference. My bar is set extremely high when it comes to deciding which organizations I want to be a part of. Being a committed participant in an organization with tangible lifesaving results is a definite must for me. That's why this year, I’ve decided to actively be a part of The Red Cord.
The Red Cord
The Red Cord is a Lawton Oklahoma based nonprofit organization that exists to fight Human Trafficking. Human Trafficking is modern-day slavery. “It involves recruitment, harboring or transporting people into a situation of exploitation through the use of force, fraud, violence, deception or coercion; People are then forced to perform commercial sex acts or work against their will.”
Human trafficking is often called the “darkest part of humanity” because it is a breeding ground for suffering and injustice. It is a worldwide multi-billion dollar industry where “traffickers build on the silence of the victim and rely on the silence and ignorance of the community.” The members of The Red Cord dedicate their lives to eradicating this atrocity through four main avenues.
According to the website these four main avenues are:
Education ~ The Red Cord offers Specialized Training Sessions to educate citizens about the indicators and signs associated with Sex Trafficking so that they can identify and report victims.
Raising Awareness ~ The Red Cord has trained speakers who will come to your meeting, gathering, event or class to introduce the injustice of Sex Trafficking.
Support ~ The Red Cord supports those who are also in this fight against Sex Trafficking.
Prayer ~ Join Them!
There are several important upcoming events hosted by the Red Cord that everyone needs to be aware of and attend. All of these events are open to the public.
Jan. 8th: City Council Meeting to proclaim January as Human Trafficking Awareness month.
Jan 13th: Monthly meeting to discuss and plan events, training, and current human trafficking issues in SW Oklahoma. They meet every second Sunday at 6pm at the Hilton Garden Inn.
Jan. 26th: 2nd Annual Freedom Gala to raise funds to fight human trafficking in SW Oklahoma. The last day to purchase tickets to this event is Jan 7th.
The Stats
According to the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC))
- 51% of identified victims of trafficking are women, 28% children and 21% men
- 72% people exploited in the sex industry are women
- 63% of identified traffickers were men and 37% women
- 43% of victims are trafficked domestically within national borders
If you would like to learn more about how you can help put an end to human trafficking in southwestern Oklahoma please contact The Red Cord. You can also visit their website: www.theredcord.org for more information.
If you feel you know someone who is a victim of human trafficking, PLEASE CALL THE CONFIDENTIAL 24-HOUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING HOTLINE.
Stay vigilant!