Over a hundred people came together at the Wave Waterpark in Vista Saturday, January 20, 2018, for Human Trafficking Awareness Month to raise awareness and bring attention to the ongoing fight to end child sex trafficking. Kaye Van Nevel leads the North San Diego County Human Trafficking Collaborative and spoke to the crowd before the walk.
Jaimee Johnson, 30 years old, shared a poem she wrote called “Secrets of the Streets”. It was very hard to hear her story of being attacked and forced to be a prostitute for almost 5 years against her Will when she was fourteen. She very happily escaped and is no longer a part of that horrible life. She now has two children of her own and shares in the fight to be able to tell others about that horrible ordeal and save even one innocent life.
After the group photo was taken, everyone grabbed a sign stating, “Honk to Stop Human Trafficking” and they all walked down Vista Village Drive to Civic Center Drive and back to the Wave. There was lots of honking and support for the Walk and the Cause.
Some of the organizations involved were Operation Hope, Lifeline Vista, and Mosques Against Trafficking (M.A.T.).
Human trafficking is fast-growing and the world’s third-largest organized criminal activity, behind drug and arms trades.
SoroptimistVista.org sponsored the event. If you are interested in more information, please e-mail stoptrafficking@soroptimistvista.org.
