Survivors of human trafficking, policemen and representatives of the Ohio Attorney General’s office will be among those speaking at an event Saturday on human trafficking in Central Ohio.
“We’re always trying to better the situations of women, and with this human trafficking in Ohio, we thought, ‘we just can’t ignore this problem any longer,'” said Kimm Hrdlicka-Tigges, event chair. “You’ll find out what’s going on, why it is in Ohio and what can we do about it.”
Sponsored by The Zonta Club of Columbus, a service organization dedicated to improving and advancing the status of women, the event will go from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Fawcett Center Alumni Room, with the doors opening to the public at 8:30 a.m.
“The people we have speaking are the people who are going to take the further step in explaining what’s going on,” Tigges said.
Speakers include Theresa Flores, a survivor of human trafficking,
Lt. Matt Warren from the State Highway Patrol, Dr. Jeffrey Barrows, the Executive Director of Gracehaven (a shelter and rehabilitation center for victims of trafficking) and Brent Currence from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
Audience members will have a chance to ask speakers questions at the end. Admission is free, and seating is limited.
“It’s a very serious problem, and we never just want to be the people who tell you about it and get you all up in a frenzy about it,” Tigges said. “The purpose is to educate you about it, but secondly, to find out what we Buckeyes can do about it. If we all band together, we can stop this.”
