Raymondville, TX – As part of the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness, on January 3rd, 2022, Empowering Communities is hosting a Silent Walk for Freedom in a show of solidarity with human trafficking victims and survivors. The walk begins at the Willacy County Courthouse lawn and run from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. Before and after the walk, as with most public health issues, awareness is key to the prevention of human trafficking.
In 2007, the U.S. Senate designated January 11th as National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness. Human Trafficking is the act of compelling a person by force, fraud, or coercion to provide labor or a commercial sex act. Coercion can be subtle, and traffickers use manipulation and threats of physical, psychological, or emotional harm. Traffickers target those who are most vulnerable to exploitation: for example, children, runaways, the mentally or physically disabled, or those suffering from poverty, substance abuse disorder, neglect, or abuse.
“The sad reality is human trafficking happens everywhere, but our proximity to the border and major shipping routes makes South Texas a very active human trafficking region,” said Empowering Communities Community Health Worker Gloria Cortez. “We fight human trafficking through education and outreach, and empowering victims and survivors by providing ample support services. We rely on the efforts of our community stakeholders from across the spectrum, from service providers to law enforcement, and we are grateful to everyone working together to bring an end to these horrible crimes.”
If you suspect an instance of human trafficking and would like to speak with a trained specialist who can help assess the situation and provide information and referrals, call 2-1-1, or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or Text: BeFree.
If you or someone you know suspects that a child is being exploited or trafficked, please make a report to the Texas Abuse Hotline (1-800-252-5400). Help and resources are available that can be offered to protect children in Texas.
Empowering Communities is a Rural Border Intervention program of Behavioral Health Solutions. The mission of Behavioral Health Solutions is to provide a multilevel approach inclusive of prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery to reduce substance abuse and related co-existing conditions in our communities, encourage healthier life-styles related to at-risk public health behaviors, and promote stronger families.
For more information about Behavioral Health Solutions, its programs, or to become a volunteer, please visit our website at www.bhsst.org. You can also join our efforts through our social media at Facebook.com/bhsofsouthtexas, Twitter.com/bhsst, or Instagram.com/bhs_st.
