Anti-Trafficking Conference

I had the privilege of attending a Human Trafficking Conference last week organized by the Central Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force.  With almost two hundred others in attendance, representatives from anti human trafficking organizations, and dynamic speakers it was a day very well spent.

The first two speakers were Erin Kulpa, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the West District of VA and Detective Bill Woolf from the Fairfax County Police Department.  They shared the stage in the morning taking turns discussing issues such as; common myths about trafficking, U.S. trafficking cases, who is vulnerable to be trafficked, who the traffickers are, and working with victims.  Both of these speakers brought years of experience working in this field and backed up their facts with real life stories.  I think one of the most powerful came from Det. Woolf.  He is involved with a new trafficking awareness program in the school system in Northern V.A. for 6th-12th graders.  At the end of the program he came into the school and did a presentation.  When he had finished speaking four different girls came up and told him that they were currently being trafficked.  Most victims do not self identify so the fact that these girls were not only able to see their situation for what it was but also seek help is huge.  We definitely need these programs in more of our schools!

The morning speakers did a wonderful job presenting but the third speaker, Tajuan MaCarty, definitely stole the show.  I wish it were possible to describe her fire, passion and most of all the realness with which she spoke.  Let me share some of her story with you (as best I can remember it).  Born into an abusive home Tajuan was raped at age 12 by neighborhood teens.  After that traumatic incident she began to run away and was trafficked several times.  By age 15 she was trapped full time in the sex industry.  She spent years in the industry leaving more than once only to return again and again.  She has been sold in every state in the U.S. (except for Hawaii and Alaska), and also in Canada and Mexico.  That is unfathomable to me, but I am afraid her story is more the norm than the exception.  She shared only brief stories of the abuse she suffered at the hands of pimps, customers, and police officers.  Speaking from personal experience and now 4 years of helping rescue other women Tajuan made several things very clear.  

-“Drugs are not the problem, they are a symptom of the problem.”  
-Our culture sexualizes everything and that is what perpetrates the problem.  
and…
-The bottom line is that we are all born with a Jesus shaped hole in our heart and until that is filled appropriately nothing will ever change.  

Her ministry, The WellHouse, is still helping victims but Tajuan  now devotes herself to speaking.  Every single place she has shared there has been someone who has been trafficked or who knows someone who has been trafficked.  After hearing her speak I had a better understanding of the enormity of this problem in the U.S. but somehow also more hope for the fight.  She told us “If you make a difference in one person’s life you’ve succeeded,” and that loving people is what really makes the difference. 

Thank you to everyone who made it possible for me to attend this conference!  I hope the snippets I have shared not only make you more aware but give you ideas of ways you can make a difference.    

- Tabitha