|
PDG Cozette Vergari a 30+ year Rotarian looking as if she has not aged one day since first becoming a Rotarian delivered some jaw dropping information that included shocking statistics regarding Human Trafficking. Fighting this cause is near and dear to the PDG’s heart and we now all understand why.
San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego are three of the top 10 cities for child trafficking. Dollar for dollar human trafficking is far worse in the US then overseas and, is a huge issue right here in our backyard. Fifty percent of trafficked victims are children, with an average age of 12 who are purchased for sex an average of five times a day. The average life span of a trafficked child is 7 years. Sex trafficking is second only to drug trafficking. Ninety six percent are female and, the social economic status, gender, age, or citizenship do not matter. Many of these victims are lured through social media.
Did you know that trafficking of people is a very sophisticated operation and, Traffickers have a lobby in Sacrament paying money under the table to keep laws off the books? This is a million if not billion-dollar industry which will take all our efforts to fight. The best way to fight this is with education in the schools and churches, raising awareness in your communities by engaging others in conversation on this hard to discuss topic, protecting the vulnerable and, learn how to spot a victim.
Go to Rotarians Fighting Human Trafficking.org for more information on this topic and learn ways you can help.
Thank you PDG Cozette for a wonderful presentation on a very difficult topic.
Special thanks to PP Chris Bradford for leading the pledge, PP Aly Shoji for her thought of the day being thankful for a sense of the wonder of life from the 4-Way Test Book and, for President Chris for making Human Trafficking prevention one of his goals for the year!
| 
