Mayor Bruce Fraley proclaimed January to be Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Berea while celebrating the work of a non-profit that aims to help young women who have suffered sexual trauma.
At Tuesday’s meeting of the Berea City Council, Lisa Foster and Zinnia Hensley, board members for Redeeming Hope, accepted the proclamation after giving an update on their current venture to build a shelter for young women ages 14-18 who have fallen victim to sexual abuse or human trafficking.
Foster told the council that since her initial presentation to the city last year, Redeeming Hope was granted five acres of land on U.S. 25 by Church on the Rock. She added that planning and fundraising is underway to begin construction of the facility, which will offer 24-hour care, counseling, and recovery services.
Hensley stated that incidents of human trafficking are on the rise nationally as well as in Kentucky.
“According to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, we have had an
increase in reports of labor trafficking and sexual trafficking in the last two years – since 2020 it has risen,” Hensley said. Kentucky ranked ninth nationally in human trafficking, according to a 2019 survey, and because neighboring Ohio currently ranks fifth in the nation, Kentucky’s rank in human trafficking has likely moved up in the last four years, both Foster and Hensley stated.
Redeeming Hope will be having a fundraiser at Boone Tavern on February 10, Hensley noted, at which point Mayor Fraley asked how people can help before the event.
“I know that there have been a lot of contributions, but a lot more are needed because this is an expensive project, not just to get it started, but to maintain it over time,” Fraley said. “I’m beyond impressed in what you have been able to do in such a short amount of time – making plans, acquiring land, and raising funds. You’re making the world a better place, so hats off to you for that.”
Donations can be made at the Redeeming Hope website.
During council comments, Cora Jane Wilson revisited a disturbing story in which she believes she may have encountered a human trafficker. Wilson said a menacing man came into Todd’s Antique Mall, demanding to know if Wilson had seen a young girl who had presumably escaped from the man. He was riding in a vehicle with Ohio license tags, Wilson said.
“I just want to tell you all this is a big problem,” Wilson said. “It’s real and it’s coming up and down our interstate, and we need to pray. It could be my grandkids, your kids, we never know. We need to be mindful of that and be alert.”
The wording of the mayoral proclamation declaring January as Human Trafficking Prevention Month in Berea reads as follows:
Human Trafficking Prevention Month – January 2024
Whereas, human trafficking is a public health issue, a crime that exploits the most vulnerable among us and weakens the health and well-being of individuals, families and communities across generations, and;
Whereas, more than 20 years since the passage of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, human trafficking still exists, including the forced or fraudulent recruitment, harboring, or transportation of people for labor for commercial sex, and;
Whereas, an estimated 26.7 million people are subjected to human trafficking globally, including cases of human trafficking reported in every U.S. state and territory, and;
Whereas, human trafficking can happen to anyone, but certain populations are disproportionately at risk, including people affected by abuse, violence, poverty, unstable living situations, social disconnection, and discrimination, and;
Whereas, people can be trafficked in person and online in industries such as restaurants, domestic work, construction, agriculture, and factories, and by strangers or someone they know, including employers, partners and family members, and;
Whereas, human trafficking can be prevented by building individual community and societal understanding and resilience, reducing social inequities, and addressing the conditions that contribute to exploitation, and;
Whereas, the City of Berea is dedicated to ensuring anyone impacted by human trafficking can receive services that provide individualized care, understand the impact of trauma, and incorporate cultural and linguistic needs, and;
Whereas, a successful response to human trafficking requires a coordinated, community-wide effort, and;
Whereas, people who experienced human trafficking have relevant perspectives and expertise, and the City of Berea will engage and collaborate with them to help strengthen trafficking-related services and programs, and;
Whereas, every individual, family, community and organization can contribute to enhancing human trafficking awareness, prevention and response by learning about ways to help,
Now, therefore, I, Bruce Fraley, Mayor of the City of Berea, Kentucky, do hereby proclaim the month of January 2024 as Human Trafficking Prevention Month, reaffirming our commitment to increase awareness and education on human trafficking, make resources available to assist individuals and communities impacted by human trafficking, and build diverse public/private partnerships to support a more comprehensive response to prevent and respond to human trafficking.
