Bringing awareness to human trafficking

  • Photos by Toni Rowan and St. Cloud Police Department
    Photos by Toni Rowan and St. Cloud Police Department
  • Photos by Toni Rowan and St. Cloud Police Department
    Photos by Toni Rowan and St. Cloud Police Department
  • Photos by Toni Rowan and St. Cloud Police Department
    Photos by Toni Rowan and St. Cloud Police Department

At the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce Women2Women human trafficking awareness event Jan. 18, speakers gave the public the details on what human trafficking may look like, how to spot it, and how to report it.

For 10 years, the Lifeboat Project has been providing recovery services, awareness, and education to end human trafficking in Central Florida. It’s Founder and CEO, Jill Bolander, was one of the guest speakers, along with St. Cloud Police Chief Doug Goerke.

The event was a collaboration among The Lifeboat Project, Osceola News-Gazette, and the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce. In recognition of January being Human Trafficking Prevention Month, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reaffirms that vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and other vulnerable persons ranks among its highest priorities.

“Human trafficking is a crime of exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. “Whether it’s forced labor, domestic servitude, or sex trafficking of children and adults, human trafficking is the exploitation of human beings for profit and has no place in any society.”

Anyone who has information about a potential human trafficking situation or a person who may be experiencing human trafficking should contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733.