BLUE LAKES >> It was a beautiful location, but a difficult subject. Still, a presentation on human trafficking drew a sold out crowd to The Lodge at Blue Lakes recently.
Olga Martin Steele President of the Soroptimist International of Clearlake, Superintendent of the Lake County Office of Education Brock Falkenberg and Redwood Community Services — the largest provider of foster care and children’s mental health services in Lake County — worked together to bring noted human trafficking speaker and educator Elle Snow back to Lake County for a return engagement.
Snow is herself a human trafficking survivor who, after escaping forced prostitution, founded Game Over a non-profit that fights to protect other girls from the misery she went through. Game Over provides advocacy, training, and education on the subject of human trafficking.
In her presentation, Snow emphasized that traffickers are growing in numbers. She said 1 in 5 missing children are likely victims of sex trafficking. She also stressed that foster care children are particularly vulnerable to trafficking, with an estimated 60 percent of victims coming from foster care.
Falkenberg and Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin made opening remarks at the event, also expressing concern about the growing problem of human trafficking in rural communities, including Lake County.
The event was also sponsored by The Lodge at Blue Lakes, Habemotolel Pomo of Upper Lake, Lake County Supervisors Tina Scott and Jim Steele, R Vineyards’ Monica Rosenthal and Lake Family Resource Center.
Community Leaders well represented at the event including the members of the Clearlake Police Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Sheriff’s Office, the District Attorney, Victim Witness Protection, Lakeport city officials and Redwood Community Services.
It’s important to note that there’s a national toll-free hotline available 24/7 to connect trafficking victims and survivors to critical support and services to get help. The number is 1-888-373-7888.
