National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness

January 11 is the National Day of Human Trafficking Awareness, as recognized by the US Senate in 2007. Since 2010, US presidents have declared each January to be National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Human Trafficking is the act of compelling a person by force, fraud or coercion to provide labor or a commercial sex act. For many years now, the Episcopal Church has raised its collective voice in the fight against this serious problem.

Province V of the Episcopal Church will sponsor an online event via Zoom on January 11, 2023 in support of this effort. There will be a prayer service and an address by a survivor of human trafficking. All are invited to attend, and a simple process of advance registration is required. You can register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwvcu-hpjIpGNQS8rBDjBm4PEF8JWkBgfpb 

You can learn more about National Human Trafficking Prevention Month here: https://www.state.gov/national-human-trafficking-prevention-month/

Whether or not you plan to attend the January 11 Zoom event, you can join the fight against human trafficking by helping raise awareness in your parish and in any other part of the Episcopal Church where you are active. You can find useful resources here: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDHS/bulletins/336ce00

Finally, everyone is encouraged to “Wear Blue” on January 11, in solidarity with the fight against human trafficking. Learn more here: https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/wearblueday