From: Jayne Klett, Facilitator of Two Villages gunniek@aol.com
Who: Citizens of Elmore, Woodville, and surrounding communities
What: Human Trafficking Town Hall meeting
When: Sunday, February 25, 2018, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Where: Woodmore Elementary/Middle School, Woodville
Narrative: There are about 25,000,000 men, women and children who are enslaved by human traffickers in the world today and some of these people suffer as slaves in northwest Ohio! Human trafficking is a despicable crime where people profit from enslaving and exploiting others. According to the FBI, it is the second best money-making criminal activity for organized crime, second only to drug trafficking. In Ohio, the average age of first being forced into prostitution is about 13 years of age. This means the vast majority of adult women who are enslaved to prostitution and strip clubs, were first entangled as 13 year old girls!A Town Hall meeting to explain and discuss this horrific crime is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 25th from 2:00 until 3:30 pm at Woodville Elementary/Middle School. All members of our Elmore, Woodville, and surrounding communities are encouraged to attend this free, informational, community safety event. Discussion topics include: overview of current trends of trafficking in our area, how our children can be at risk for victimization, how children can be trafficked while they live at home, how to recognize signs and to report that a person is a victim of trafficking and as well as strategies to prevent and protect our children.
Three panelists will present information from the perspectives of a local sheriff detective, a survivor and the director of a survivor support agency; Detective Sergeant Amy Gloor of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, LeeAnn Campbell of Rahab’s Heart and Jeff Wilbarger of The Daughter Project. In addition, community prevention and support agencies will have table displays with resource information to share.
This town hall meeting is sponsored collaboratively by the Elmore and Woodville Police Departments, the Elmore Ministerium, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Prevention Partnership Coalition, Sandusky County Health Department, TNT Mentoring, Woodmore Schools and Two Villages. We very much hope to see you there.