Santa Maria Hosts Annual Forum on Human Trafficking on the Central Coast
Dave Alley
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The issue of human trafficking on the Central Coast was discussed Thursday during an annual forum held in Santa Maria.
The event was hosted at the Santa Maria Country Club by the Rotary Club of South Santa Maria and was intended to shed light on a growing crime that is taking place not only nationally, but locally on the Central Coast.
“The purpose is to really make people aware of the fact that we do have this issue here on the Central Coast, that our children and youth and even adults are sometimes at risk,” said Event Co-Chair Victoria Conner. “It’s especially important for first responders, for law enforcement, the medical profession, teachers, counselors, anyone working with youth to understand that this is an issue that affects us here, as well as in metropolitan areas.”
Conner pointed out the geography of the Central Coast actually makes it an ideal location for trafficking to take place.
“Most people don’t know the Central Coast and Santa Maria area are hubs for human trafficking because they’re halfway between Los Angeles and the Southern California area and San Francisco and the Northern California area, and it’s also a hub for people coming from the (Central) valley. Most of us don’t recognize that.”
During the course of four hours, audience members heard from a lineup of speakers that includes survivors of human trafficking, as well as advocates, members of law enforcement, and other government agencies that are helping fight the issue on a daily basis.
“Right here in Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara and everywhere humans congregate, we have more powerful people taking advantage of less powerful people,” said keynote speaker Russell Wilson, who himself was a victim of trafficking, but is now a nationally-regarded speaker and subjet matter expert. “The way we’re going to put an end to this is by having these conversations and bringing this topic to light. Nothing goes away in the dark. We have to bring it into the light.”
“Every single person has a role in combating trafficking,” said speaker Alia Azariah, a trafficking victim who is now the director of Aftercare at Safe House Project. “Whether it’s just being a safe person for the neighborhood kids, being a safe person for their own children’s friends, teaching digital safety to their own kids, or whether it is stepping into this work as a law enforcement officer or prosecutor or a case manager, every single person in our community has a role to play in combating trafficking and in helping people heal.”
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