Care Lodge Domestic Violence Shelter Inc preps for child sex trafficking workshop

For over twenty years The Care Lodge Domestic Violence Shelter Incorporated has held child trafficking awareness workshops in the Meridian area.

Care Lodge has a mission this year to fulfill by bringing out awareness of how serious child sex trafficking and exploitation is to several individuals who may not have been aware in previous years.

The workshop is designed to inform those who may know a victim of child sex trafficking, on what to do.

"We have our 24th annual conference coming up next week August the 16th, and 17th, it’s a two-day training on child sex trafficking. It’s actually a follow up from our conference from last year, and this is in regards to how the community can come together in response to child sex trafficking. “

Director of Care Lodge, Leslie Payne says most child victims become victimized by accessing social media platforms.

“The child sex trafficking, most of the contacts 76% of the contacts start on the internet, and most of the victims are under 18 also two of every three victims, 2 are girls, and one is a boy, so child sex trafficking is a big issue in our country.”

According to Payne if something doesn’t get done now about child sex trafficking, there may be a major consequence to face in the near future.

“ If you have a child, you can sell that child over and over again until you can't sell the life out of that child. You can use that child for years as a sex trafficking victim until either the child grows up and gets too old or something physical happens to that child where they can't perform anymore as a trafficking victim.”