20 november 2021
WBM
A federal law enforcement agent attended the September
meeting, the group’s third. The agent shared that FBI, SBI,
Homeland Security and local police departments are forming
a task force that will share information on trafficking cases in
our region. She said she sees the same patterns of moving girls
through Fayetteville, Wilmington, Jacksonville and Myrtle
Beach that Stoker does as a provider.
Stoker says her continued willingness to dive into this crisis
along with her close familiarity to many victims has driven her
desire to keep pushing and doing better.
C.A.S.T. is also working closely with sex trafficking survivors
who can share valuable feedback about the care they received.
The agent said her office will work with C.A.S.T. to get
immediate services to victims when they’re identified.
C.A.S.T. partner Sarah Arthur is the manager of community
engagement for New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
“Within the hospital system we are intentional about train-ing
and policies for our healthcare team to address the needs
of victims of human trafficking. The development of C.A.S.T.
allowed us to collaborate effectively with community partners
that could act as immediate resources for our team as well as
the patients we serve. We also love the fact that First Fruit
has integrated the voice of the victims into their efforts with
C.A.S.T.,” says Arthur.
C.A.S.T. is hosting invitation-only workshops to make sure
the right problem solvers get involved. During the September
meeting, the partners worked on a five-year strategic plan that
will lay a groundwork for how people can get involved in the
future.
Stoker says, “The time is now. Let’s get to work. Together,
we can do better for our community.”
TO help others recognize potential endangerment and
notify law enforcement, the United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime has a list of indicators used to help
identify victims. These indicators include:
Appearing malnourished
Appearing injured or having signs of physical abuse
Avoiding eye contact, social interaction, and law enforcement
Responding in manners that seem rehearsed or scripted
Lacking personal identification documents
Lacking personal possessions
IF YOU SUSPECT SOMEONE IS A VICTIM OF
HUMAN TRAFFICKING, DON’T WAIT:
Contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline
CALL 1-888-373-7888 • TEXT 233733
OR GO TO http://humantraffickinghotline.org
Members and supporters of the Collaborative Against Sex Trafficking
gather for a meeting in September.
ALLISON POTTER