Damascus Road, an Oshkosh-based organization that looks to educate and prevent human trafficking, will host its 15th annual “Stop the Traffick: Make Some Noise Human Trafficking Awareness Day Rally” on Saturday in partnership with the Oshkosh Police Department.
The rally, which looks to raise awareness on human trafficking, will be held at the Opera House Square in downtown Oshkosh from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to observe National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month in January. Damascus Road will also host a “Community Awareness 101 Training” on the prevention of human trafficking in Oshkosh from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. at its offices at 1528 Oregon St.
Damascus Road Education and Engagement Director Terra Koslowski said that human trafficking is a crime that knows no borders and can affect anyone.
“According to the International Labor Organization, there are an estimated 25 million victims of human trafficking worldwide and the crime generates $150.2 billion in illegal profits each year,” Koslowski said. “Victims are often identified by various vulnerabilities. They are often manipulated through promises of love, food, shelter, fear, fame, a sense of belonging or employment, then coerced or forced into manual labor, prostitution, or sexual exploitation. Children are especially targeted by traffickers via social media, mobile devices, and interactive gaming which provide venues to host anonymous conversations.”
Koslowski said the purpose of the rally is to bring attention and to empower the Oshkosh community to combat human trafficking.
“Knowledge and resources are the keys to equipping the community to prevent human trafficking and support victims,” Koslowski said. “Damascus Road offers free monthly community awareness training including prevention tips as well as other opportunities to support local survivors.”
Damascus Road, which began in 2009, has assisted over 700 victims of Human Trafficking or Commercial Sexual Exploitation since 2017.
Saturday’s rally is free and open to the public, additional information can be found at damascusroadproject.org.
