O P I N I O N
THE SOAPBOX
Stand up. Speak up. It’s your turn.
“It doesn’t happen here in Manchester.” When we think about human trafficking we often think of somewhere else. Something bigger.
But human slavery, often for sex or labor, happens every day. Everywhere. It happens right here in New England.
Per the National Human Trafficking Hotline, there were 10,583 trafficking cases reported in the USA in 2021. To put that in perspective, that is close to the population of Raymond, NH. And these are only the cases that were reported. Many more slip through the cracks, unseen and unknown. Invisible. We need to change that.
September is National Recovery Month and is a fitting time to raise awareness for human trafficking as well because sex trafficking and drug addiction often go hand-in-hand.
To help educate and care for our community, King’s Cross Church will be hosting an info session led by Jasmine Grace Marino at Hope for NH Recovery Center located at 293 Wilson St. in Manchester on October 6, 2023, at 7 p.m.
Jasmine Grace Marino is a survivor of sex trafficking and drug addiction, and the founder and director of Jasmine Grace Outreach. She is a keynote speaker, panel participant and facilitator for trainings, workshops and groups. She has spoken on panels at the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in New Hampshire and at two side panels for members of the United Nations in New York.
In addition, Jasmine consults with healthcare professionals, law enforcement personnel, educators and nonprofit organizations on issues such as safe homes, program growth, curriculum development, survivor support and peer mentorship.
JGO empowers women as they exit and recover from the commercial sex trade and addiction through their outreach program, Bags of Hope as well as their residential home, Living Hope Farms. Lastly, she is the author of The Diary of Jasmine Grace. Trafficked. Recovered. Redeemed.
Jasmine will share her story with us as well as educate on sex trafficking. She will share the vulnerabilities that can lead to trafficking, the red flags to look for, the push-pull a victim faces, and what recovery can look like. We will end the evening with a time of Q&A.
Please join us for this very important conversation as we seek to come alongside those in our community who are seeking freedom and healing.
RSVP to the even via Facebook: https://fb.me/e/1e9eBZEzr
