January is Human Trafficking Awareness month, and so Actress and model Danielle Harris, CEO of Sanctified Divas, spoke, together with Dr. Denise Lenares Solomon, at a Human Trafficking Awareness Summit in Georgia to raise awareness about the problem.
“It’s not just a world issue, ” said Harris, according to Fox, “It’s not just something you see in the movie ‘Taken. This is something that is really happening in our neighborhoods, our schools.” Dr. Lenares-Solomon said that the human trafficking industry is an illegal billions of dollars operation, second only to drug dealing. Unlike drugs, explains Dr. Lenares-Solomon, there constantly needs to be a new supply, whereas a human being can be exploited over and over again.
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The problem is increasing in many communities in America. Sporting matches are major opportunities for criminals, but trafficking can occur in a home in a “quiet” neighborhood. Dr. Lenares-Solomon said, “There’s an increase in trafficking in a house that has been dormant for awhile, and all of the sudden, there is an increase in traffic. A lot of times before, we would maybe suspect drug trafficking. Unfortunately in some cases, that could be an indication that sex trafficking is occurring.” She discussed the prevalence in Georgia, where out of 190 human trafficking cases were examined, 107 involved children under the age of 17.
“The only way we can end this crisis is to stand up and unite against it.” said Harris.
Danielle Harris, known as the “scream queen” for the frequency of her roles in horror films, was born in Plainview New York, and raised by a single Jewish mother, Fran. She began modeling at an early age, and then pursued an acting career, starring in the Halloween and the Hatchet series.
