In light of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Xquisite, an organization dedicated to bringing freedom and empowerment to survivors of sex trafficking, assaults and domestic violence hosted a Human Trafficking Awareness event in Carson City. Influential leaders across Nevada presented, bringing awareness to the fight against human trafficking.
Alecia Hardiman, a Human Exploitation and Trafficking Advocate who works with survivors as well as the H.E.A.T. team, helping to provide victims resources and educate the community about human trafficking attended the event.
Hardiman says it takes about five to seven positive law enforcement contacts to have a survivor being open to receiving resources and being open to talking at all “Our soul purpose is wanting to help our survivors, provide them resources and get them out of their situation.”
Sex trafficking is a serious crime, which is why Tyson League, the Supervising Deputy District Attorney, of the Carson City District Attorney’s Office was at the event as well to show his support.
League says they travel all over to victims who may have been relocated “We had 11 identified victims, of those only three of them would speak to us. If you think about the community we’re trying to serve, it’s people who have had negative impacts with law enforcement, so I show up asking questions and they don’t want to talk to me... so it takes a long time building report and building a relationship with them so that they trust us trust law enforcement so they’ll come forward and feel comfortable.”
He says he hopes he can help make the victims feel comfortable knowing they're trying to empower them and provide them justice.
He says the amount of relief the victims can feel by telling their stories can lift a weight off of them.
Hardiman says over the years a lot more survivors have come forward with wanting to receive resources.
She says the community can help bridge the gap too, by first and foremost, staying aware of human trafficking “Within our community it’s happening everywhere… human trafficking is everywhere within our schools, outside of our schools and so just being aware and contacting law enforcement if you do have any kind of concerns is our biggest thing, that way we can look into it we’re able to reach our survivors and help them with whatever their situation is.”
League tells us most of their victims they've found are under 16 years old, which means the ones trafficking them will face 15 years to life in prison “As an example, one of the ads we identified in that case posted the ad as a place to pick up this girl at Carson Middle School… it happens…they send their customers to get them at these schools... people need to know that it does happen in their community and community awareness is what’s going to stop it from happening.”
The national average for those being human trafficked is 12 to 14 years old, their youngest recovered recently was 11 years old.
League explains, those involved in sex trafficking trick the children into having a connection with them to manipulate and take advantage of them.
He shares “Seeing what happens when people transition to survivors, that empowerment and that betterment in their life is something incredibly powerful and the ability to help someone see that through is exceptionally fulfilling and why I continue to do what I do.”
Hardiman adds “The more people that are aware of this huge huge issue the more that we can combat this together and help our survivors.”
The state of Nevada is one of the highest for human and sex trafficking and there's over 27 million people trafficked globally, and here in Nevada there are five thousand per month being trafficked. Nevada is also first in the nation per capita for human trafficking.
And not all victims are women.
Brenda Sandquist, the Executive Director and Founder of Xquisite says “They often have a stigma a little bit because… I’ve heard them say “I know I’m not supposed to be raped because I’m a man” but what they receive is equally as damaging as what a lot for the women have gone through.”
Senator Lisa Krasner, with Nevada State Senate District 16 says within the Nevada State Legislature regarding human trafficking they've seen significant changes “This was passed unanimously by partisan legislation and sign to law by the governor it created the first ever in the state of Nevada human trafficking coalition so that groups from the north and the south are all working together communicating and collaborating and coordinating their efforts for se trafficking and human trafficking victims.”
She adds “Sex trafficking and human trafficking is happening on our state it’s happening in every high school sadly so it’s really important people are aware they see something they say something and always report to law enforcement officers.”
As for those committing the crime, Leagues says “They will be held accountable, we will find you, we will figure out what you’re doing.”
Xquisite has also helped over 300 victims, Sandquist says “It’s everyday in every community… it’s not our sleepy little communities anymore.”
They also have a number you can call or text for 24 hour emergency help: 775-434-7255 or you can check out their website here.
