January 18, 2023
The Berea City Council heard plans Tuesday night for a local home that will aid victims of human trafficking.
Speaking on behalf of a soon-to-be-established non-profit Redeeming Hope, Lisa Foster, Vickie Primrose and Jamie Arnold addressed the devastating effect of human trafficking, particularly on young girls and women. Foster said the location of the home has been selected though not yet publicized, and it will serve girls between the ages of 14 and 18.
“We want Madison Countians to realize how serious human trafficking is in this area. Kentucky ranks number nine in the nation for human trafficking in 2019 for federal cases,” Foster said.
Foster added they are raising the issue now because January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, adding that while incidents of human trafficking seem low in various Kentucky counties, those numbers typically skyrocket once citizens know what to look for. Victims are typically groomed for trafficking, coerced, tricked, and in some cases, they are even sold by their families for money or drugs, Foster said.
Vicki Primrose added that while people don’t initially believe human trafficking could be a problem in central Kentucky, it’s far more prevalent than realized, and a great many of the victims are children forced into sexual servitude to survive.
“You may not know someone who has been trafficked, but I can assure you that you have walked past at least one little girl who has been part of this vile exploitation,” Primrose said. “The first step toward changing the outcome for these girls is raising awareness. It’s not something you see in a movie or a TV show, it’s real life. It’s a real thing, a real issue, and it happens every day.”
Jamie Arnold noted the goal of Redeeming Home and the Berea home is to help teach victims of human trafficking that they don’t have to be defined by “the worst thing that has happened to them in their lives.”
Instead, Arnold said residents will live in a secure homestyle setting, they’ll be assisted in securing their GED or high school diploma, but most of all, they will receive emotional support to begin a new life, living among other girls who are also recovering. “They are going to get the love and support they need,” Arnold said.
Those wanting to help Redeeming Hope can check out the organization’s Facebook page, or they can contact Lisa Foster at 859-582-1010. When asked by Councilmember Teresa Scenters how Bereans can support Redeeming Hope, Foster said financial support and awareness are the two things most needed right now.
“We’re are trying raise money by fundraising in ways that we can. We need your support and we need you all to love these girls and to talk it up in Madison County, and we need your eyes to watch and report,” Foster said.
At the conclusion of their presentation, Councilmember Cora Jane Wilson told an unsettling story of a man who came into her antique shop in search of a girl who was clearly on the run. While Wilson suspects the girl got away, the incident suggested to her Berea will likely see more instances of possible trafficking and child exploitation.
“It’s real. It’s here, we’re on the interstate. It’s real folks,” Wilson said.
Those who suspect they have seen a victim of human trafficking can call 911, their local law enforcement agency, or call the Department of Homeland Security anonymous hotline to report human trafficking at 888-373-7888.
