The Central Florida Human Trafficking Task Force held its seventh annual Red Sand Project on Saturday at the Kissimmee Civic Center. Law enforcement agencies and other agencies that offer wraparound care to survivors shared with community members ways they are working to combat human trafficking and support survivors in our area.
Afterward, attendees walked to the Monument of States to pour sand and fill the cracks between the bricks at the base of the monument. “Each grain of sand represents one person,” Osceola Sheriff Christopher Blackmon said. “Each grain of sand in the bag you have represents one person. The victims often go unseen, unheard, hidden in places where exploitation thrives.”
“Human trafficking is not an abstract issue or something limited to distant places,” St. Cloud Police Chief Doug Goerke said. “It’s real. It’s happening now. And it can affect any community, including ours. At its core, human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. It involves exploiting people, men, women, and children, through force, fraud, or coercion, for labor or sexual purposes. Victims are often hidden in plain sight, controlled through fear, manipulation, or dependency.” Goerke said that worldwide, an estimated 20 to 40 million people are caught in trafficking networks, generating about $150 billion in illegal profits annually. Florida remains in the top three across the United States, following Texas and California.
Human trafficking thrives in silence, Goerke said, so it is important to know and recognize the signs. He explained that victims may appear fearful, withdrawn, or anxious. They may lack control over their identities, finances, or movements. They may be coached on what to say or closely monitored by someone else. “Recognizing these signs is absolutely critical, because for many victims, a bystander noticing something that just isn’t right, is the first step towards freedom. If you see something, say something. Trust your instincts,” Goerke urged…