DeLand, FL - January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. During today's (January 7) Volusia County Council meeting, Chair Jeff Brower read the proclamation, which included the reaffirmation of the County's strong commitment to social justice and human dignity also urging residents and agencies to recognize their vital roles in ending all forms of modern slavery and lifting up its victims.
Christy Gillis, Circuit 7 Community Development Administrator for the Florida Department of Children and Families accepted the proclamation. She's also the Chair of the Freedom 7 Human Trafficking Task Force. She said many times people think that it's not happening in our community but statistics prove otherwise. "In 2019-20, the Florida Department of Children and Families investigated 72 cases of human trafficking. Twenty of those were verified. These are our kids and our community."
DCF is doing a number of things to educate the public with training and education. Gillis said that training will take place on January 21, 2021. There are also monthly meetings that you can follow on the DCF Facebook page. In closing, she wants people to be aware of online recruiting. "Last year, when the Department looked at their cases,100 percent have online recruiting, so with the virtual world that we're in, children are more vulnerable."
If you'd like to learn more about the problem of slavery and human trafficking, which federally is handled by the U.S. Department of Defense, visit their website.
