According to numbers provided by Advocates For Freedom, approximately $150 billion is made annually through human trafficking in the United States, making that crime the second-largest – and fastest-growing – criminal industry in the world.
To help combat that and raise awareness to the plight, on August 31 officials from Temple Baptist Church in Oak Grove donated a 2013 Toyota Sequoia to Susie Harvill, founder and CEO of AFF, which collaborates with law enforcement and other groups to help victims of trafficking find a permanent, safe home. The vehicle will give AFF staff another mode of transportation throughout the organization’s six service areas, including those in Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas, Alabama and Florida.
“What we do is, we help victims – we help them get wherever they need to get, whether it’s their counseling or physical mental appointments that they need,” Harvill said. “So the car will help us with this mission, to stop and end human trafficking.
“It’s a tremendous help, because if you don’t have wheels to get people places, you’re using your own vehicle, and that is something that not everybody can (do), or feels comfortable in doing. So this is a blessing that we’ve just been waiting for. It’s just terrific.”
The Sequoia was donated to the church by one of its member families who expressed a desire to help with AFF’s mission.
“It’s a huge blessing, not only for Advocates For Freedom; I think it’s a blessing for the person who gave it because God talks about how it’s more generous to give than receive,” said David Whitten, senior pastor at Temple Baptist Church. “It’s also a blessing to me personally as the pastor; I think a lot times churches are known for what they are against, instead of what they’re for.
“Churches are also known for asking for something from the community, so it’s great for us to be able to give back, and hopefully people see that it’s really kind of a core value of who we want to be as a church. One of our five-year vision goals is to serve 15,000 (community) hours outside of our four walls, but it’s also to invest $2 million within our local community, so this is a way for us to do that.”
Other AFF numbers show that, on average, children are forced into sex trafficking at the age of 11. Between 500,000 and 700,000 children are made to participate in the practice, with approximately 40.3 million human slaves in the world today.
In response, the AFF utilized what it calls its Three Pillars of Advocacy, which includes:
- Awareness: The AFF team travels its coverage area to share information, provide encouragement and empower people to end human trafficking.
- Education: The AFF has developed, and is sharing, age-appropriate educational materials with schools and in classrooms statewide. The organization also works with – and provides training to – law enforcement and other related agencies.
- Collaboration: The AFF partners with government, law enforcement, businesses, medical, education, churches, non-profits and other organizations.
“Until we know what we’re up against and what we’re fighting, then we don’t know how to fight it,” Harvill said. “In the Hattiesburg area, it’s unbelievable, because number one, we have a college, and a university like (the University of Southern Mississippi) is huge to a trafficker because there are young men and women who can be used.
“And we have helped children – little children – right here in the community. We have helped several families who have children who have run away. Maybe they’re upset for some reason, but when they run away, but within the first 48 hours, they will most likely be lured into human trafficking.”
AFF strategic regions include:
- The Gulf Coast Region, which covers the Mississippi Gulf Coast;
- The Pine Belt Region, which covers south central Mississippi between the Gulf Coast and metro area;
- The Metro Region, which covers Jackson and central Mississippi;
- The Crossroads Region, which covers northeast Mississippi;
- The Tri-State Region, which covers northwest Mississippi, southwest Tennessee, and southeast Arkansas;
- And the Gulf Bay Area Region, which covers south Alabama and the Florida Panhandle.
Anyone interested in helping, or reporting to, the AFF organization can call (228) 229-2754 or visit www.advocatesforfreedom.org.
“If you call us, we believe you,” Harvill said. “We have seen so many people, we’ve heard so many stories, we know all the things to look for.
“If you need our help, we’re out here to help you.”
