Wednesday, June 19, 2013

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Human trafficking, closer to home than you think
Posted: 11.30.2012 at 1:30 PM
Tess Hedrick

Tess Hedrick is a Multimedia Journalist for KTVO.

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Women at Risk International helps victims of trafficking and forced prostitution  / KTVO'S Tess Hedrick
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BLOOMFIELD, IOWA -- It’s a human rights issue that many people don’t know is happening so close to home.

Human trafficking; it’s not just happening overseas but it’s happening right here in the United States.

Long Term Medical Supplies in Bloomfield is putting on a fundraiser selling jewelry through Saturday to raise money for one organization that helps the victims of human trafficking.

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“Right in Iowa, the I-80 corridor through Iowa traffics children every single day. The FBI says that human trafficking is one of the fastest growing organized crimes that there is. I mean it just floors me that it's here in Iowa,” said Kim Stephenson, manager of Long Term Medical Supplies.

Women at Risk International is an organization that rescues women who have been sold into slavery and forced prostitution. They also help to prevent women and children from this happening to them.

All of the jewelry being sold is homemade by women and children who have either been rescued or who are in the prevention programs to help keep them from being sold into slavery and prostitution.

“This necklace is made by an 11-year-old child. Her name is Mint. So any of the jewelry that you buy or the scarves or anything, if it has the name on it -- sometimes they put their age on it – they don't always put their name. That means they’re ready to tell people (to tell them) ‘you know this happed to me. This is what happened to me. I've been rescued’,” said Stephenson.

And for the holidays, you can give these women the gift of a better life.

“For every $250 of products sold, it will support one woman for one month in a safe house and give her a new life,” said Sami Chickering, customer service rep. at Long Term Medical Supplies.

All of the proceeds will go directly to Women at Risk International. And before the fundraiser even started, there were $800 in pre-sales.

 

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