Around the world, 800,000 to 900,000 human beings are bought, sold or forced across the world's borders each year, according to a U.S. Department of State estimate. But Friday night, some UF students will try to do their part to help.
A human trafficking awareness rally will be held in Turlington Room L007 at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The rally is sponsored by Sigma Phi Lambda, a UF Christian sorority, and STALL, which stands for "stop trafficking and liberate lives."
STALL is a nonprofit organization that works in Moldova, a country in Eastern Europe, to provide safe houses that protect girls from being sold into sex slavery. The founders of STALL worked in Moldovan and Romanian orphanages, seeing firsthand what happened when the girls left the orphanages at 16.
Staci Good, president of Sigma Phi Lambda, said she was unaware of the enormous scope of human trafficking around the world before reading an article on ABC News about a girl being abducted and forced into prostitution. Good said she organized the rally because she wanted to do something to prevent other girls form falling into the dangerous cycle.
"Human trafficking is an enormous issue that does not get enough awareness in the U.S.," said Melissa Milroy, a Sigma Phi Lambda member.
Good said part of the event is educating people that trafficking happens even in the U.S., though it is not as widespread as in other countries.
"It is so scary that it could be your sister or your mom," Good said.
Two videos will be shown at the event, one about the STALL efforts in Moldova and another about human trafficking in the U.S.
Andrew Cameron, a representative from STALL, and Natalie Gutium, a 17-year-old girl rescued by STALL, will speak about their experiences.
In addition to raising awareness, the rally is also collecting donations, clothing and toiletries. And STALL will sell T-shirts reading "Clothes should be bought and sold. Not humans" for $20, with all of the proceeds going toward the safe houses in Moldova.
