The Tennessee Department of Health (TDOH) will work with local leaders to support the Red Sand Project between July 25 and 31.
‘’Human trafficking is a hidden crime in our state and across the country because victims rarely come forward to receive help or services,’’ said Tennessee Health Commissioner Ralph Alvarado (pictured above), MD, FACP. ‘’It’s up to all of us to bring an end to the exploitation of vulnerable individuals. The Red Sand Project reminds us how crucial it is for communities, both urban and rural, to engage in awareness and education activities that support survivors of human trafficking and strengthen our prevention efforts.”
The awareness campaign focuses on community members coming together to pour red sand into the cracks on sidewalks, illustrating how survivors of human trafficking often “fall through the cracks.”
TDOH said local health departments will provide updates about community gatherings.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has been working on an initiative to inform the public about the signs that someone is a victim of human trafficking.
Through the website ithastostop.com, TBI offers information on the state’s approach to ending the practice. A grant from the State of Tennessee Office of Criminal Justice Programs funds the site.
“To solve a problem, you have to understand it,” the site says. “And in Tennessee, comprehensive research influences our state’s approach to ending human trafficking. Actionable data and real-life stories help lawmakers, law enforcement, and the state’s nonprofit sector develop innovative ideas to strengthen laws and services for survivors.”
Vanderbilt University Center for Community Studies worked with TBI to compile that data.
Their study found:
- 85 percent of Tennessee counties reported at least one case of sex trafficking in the previous 24 months.
- 72 percent of counties reported at least one case of minor sex trafficking in the same time frame.
- Four counties (Davidson, Knox, Coffee, and Shelby), reported at least 100 instances of minor sex trafficking in the previous two years.
Human trafficking is a hotbed issue in the United States, as the popular box office hit “The Sound of Freedom” has made waves.
The film is the true story of a rogue former government agent turned vigilante who rescued hundreds of children from human traffickers.
The movie has been all but shunned by Hollywood insiders and even lambasted by the left-wing media but has made $100 million since its debut earlier this month. There have even been reports that movie theaters have sabotaged showings of the film. Audience members have complained that in some theaters, the film has been dimmed to make it unwatchable, and others have said that air conditioners have been turned off during the film.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration ended a Trump-era pilot program that used DNA tests to ensure that children crossing the border with adults were related to the adult accompanying them into the United States. That program was a measure to reduce the human trafficking of children.
A group of legislators, led by Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), recently filed a bill to restore the program, called the End Child Trafficking Now Act.
A summary of the bill says:
An adult alien shall not be admitted with a minor unless the adult (1) presents documents and witness testimony proving that the adult is a relative or guardian of the minor, or (2) submits to a DNA test that proves such a relationship. The Department of Homeland Security shall request a DNA test only if the required relationship cannot be established by the presented documents and witness testimony. An adult alien who does not consent to a requested DNA test shall be inadmissible.
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
