Advocates Urge For More To Be Done To Prevent Human Trafficking

January 11 is recognized as National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness, and state and local agencies are sounding the alarm.

The Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women estimated 4,000 Oklahomans seek help from human trafficking situations each year.

Experts said traffickers can be people whom victims trust, while some are strangers they met online.

While prevention is key, there is a call for more help for survivors from organizations like The Demand Project, based in Tulsa.

Oklahoma is home to the largest capacity campus for trafficked children in the country, run by the nonprofit The Demand Project.

A secret campus has nine buildings to help young survivors living there rehabilitate.

"It takes a massive team of therapists, educators, mentors, case management, it takes a huge team,” said Kristin Weis, The Demand Project co-founder and CEO.

Weis said this month marks 10 years since she founded The Demand Project, and the need continues to grow.

She said the campus has room for more than 30 children from all over the country, but only enough money and staff to care for 10 at a time.

"Whether it's the community reaching out to us, the victim themselves reaching out to us, a teacher, DHS, probation, they can come any way,” explained Weis.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security reported human trafficking is a $150 billion a year industry worldwide with an estimated 25-million people victimized.

So, what can we do as a community to fight human trafficking?

"It takes money, it takes time, it takes energy, it takes people to volunteer, it takes work, it takes effort,” said Cory Box, Jenks mayor and The Demand Project board vice president.

Box said awareness is key, which is why the nonprofit does presentations on how traffickers operate and how to protect kids.

"If we can get to our kids early enough and we can educate them about the dangers of being online, then I think we can educate a generation ahead of time," said Box.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said there have been more arrests recently because of more knowledge of how criminals work.

The bureau said the biggest challenge is many survivors are too scared to report, which makes it difficult for prosecutors to file charges.

To learn more about The Demand Project and how to get involved, visit its website: https://www.thedemandproject.org/