Government, Nonprofit & Faith Based Community Bound for a Purpose

ATLANTA (Douglasville) GA – At 10:30a.m. on Saturday, January 26th, 2019 @ 10:30am, in collaboration with the Cornerstone Baptist Church, 7167 South Sweetwater Road, Lithia Springs, GA, Youth Emporium, Inc., Founders of the human trafficking initiative, Voices for Safe Havens, will present a Community Symposium addressing the dangers of sex and human trafficking. This symposium, entitled “Not for Sale I’m Priceless” will raise awareness of modern-day slavery to attendees by bringing together law enforcement, Douglas County elected officials and service providers to present vital information on this criminal enterprise and how we can protect our children from being victimized.

Youth Emporium, Inc. a Douglasville, GA youth-based nonprofit organization established the Voices for Safe Havens initiative with the mission to provide information and resources to victims, educators and nonprofit groups. “I believe it is important to educate and empower young people and their parents on what to look for in order to protect themselves,” says Brenda Hillman, President and Executive Director. “There is no specific look to a trafficker. They can be a teenager or an adult posing as one online. Predators are of diverse ethnicities, ages and genders, and work in groups or alone. They use different tactics when targeting children and are especially good at identifying those who are homeless, troubled, confused and vulnerable,” Hillman says.

The ”Not for Sale I’m Priceless” symposium is but one program in a series of events we intend to present to our community in the coming months and years.” “We must be relentless in prevention and protection, just as a trafficker is in targeting and grooming our children for their criminal and exploitive enterprise. We want attendees to leave the symposium knowing that there are resources available, and ways to become involved in the fight against modern day slavery. There will be panelists that can answer questions, survivors that will share their experiences, and service providers to share best practices and resources,” says Hillman.

Judge Brian Fortner of Douglas County, will be a panelist at the symposium. He believes that community engagement is critical in the fight against human trafficking. “It is going to take a concerted effort between law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, faith-based groups and community groups to combat this growing problem. We can’t stop human trafficking by only fighting it in the courtroom. We must also be engaged in the community to identify and save potential victims before they are subjected to abuse,” says Fortner. Judge Fortner who himself was a District Attorney, now has a different role in the interpretation of laws and legislation. The information he shares will demonstrate how children and families are empowered against trafficking predators.

Deputy District Attorney Samantha Newman of the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office will also serve as a panelist. In her assignment as head of the Crimes Against Women and Children Unit, she oversees and supervises the prosecution of all crimes where women and children are victims. She will bring a unique perspective to the panel and provide insight into what parents and community leaders can do to add a layer of protection in preventing crimes against the children in their care.

Deana Nelson of Georgia Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries coordinates the organization’s Victory Program where sexually exploited children for commercial gain receive comprehensive services. As a panelist, Ms. Nelson can share the importance of support and resources to this vulnerable population of children.

Understanding the invasion of personal space and what we can do to help our children protect themselves will be covered by panelist Joseph Sessum who specializes in self-defense and mentoring of young men and boys. “So many residents don’t realize how important the protection of our young men is,” says Hillman. Young boys are exploited and often do not report their exploitation because of the shame they have attached to the experiences. We encourage our young boys to attend the symposium so that they are aware they are not alone, and support and help is there for them as well.

Pastor Ben Lang of Cornerstone Baptist encourages parents to love their children unconditionally, and if problems exist between the parent and child, to seek professional help so that traffickers are less likely to prey upon them. As a church body he believes in providing vital information to the community about issues impacting children and families. Collaborating with Youth Emporium was a no brainer for him as he is concerned about the upcoming Super Bowl and other events that target our young people.

Human trafficking is a complex crime. It is mobile, often hides in plain sight, and is difficult to identify if you don’t know what to look for. The FBI has named metro Atlanta the largest hub for human trafficking in the country. Everyone is encouraged to attend this forum on January 26th and is asked to bring a teenager with you. “It can happen to anyone regardless of their socio-economic status. Don’t think for a minute that you are immune from this problem,” says Hillman. Traffickers do not discriminate, they are an equal opportunity predator.

Metro Atlanta is a popular destination for tourists by virtue of our sports arenas and major events that occur here throughout the year. It is critical that we stay alert, aware and vigilant in keeping our children from a dangerous interaction. Come out and support this event. Let’s save our children from modern day slavery. Learn how to do that by attending this upcoming and important symposium.