Thank you to Resilient Georgia for giving me this platform to remind you that January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Every year since 2010, this time is dedicated to raising awareness about human trafficking and educating the public about how to identify and prevent this crime.
During 2022, there were many occurrences in Georgia related to human trafficking/exploitation including;
An abundance of teens continued to be lured away from their homes by traffickers in metro Atlanta
In November 2022, while arrests were made, it was reported that gang participation in human trafficking was on the rise
Zaxby Restaurant in Athens, Grayson, and Lilburn were fined after being found guilty of violating child labor laws
There were numerous arrests of Georgia educators abusing their power by having inappropriate relationships with students
There was a continuation of child exploitation occurring via websites
As recently as December 2022, the FBI warned of a rise in sextortion schemes and cases involving teens with a focus on boys and young men
A few tips for parents/caregivers;
Know who your child is communicating with online… set guidelines
Parental Controls are necessary and will save you, heartache, headaches, and financial woes
Talk to your children/teens about pornography. It is better to be proactive than reactive. Many of them are happening upon pornography, while others are searching for it
If you haven’t already, put a technology agreement in place… for instance, no technology overnight (establish and maintain your parental power)
Education is key if we are going to keep our children, teens, and communities safe from predators and traffickers. I look forward to scheduling a Critical Conversation about human exploitation, human trafficking, and online safety for your organization or business.
DdMarshall
Enlighten Talks
Ddm.enlightentalks@gmail.com