‘It can happen to anyone’: Advocates, officials make statement against human trafficking

It’s called “the Red Sand Project.”

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By pouring red sand onto the ground, advocates make a statement about those falling through the cracks and becoming victims of human trafficking in Florida and beyond.

“The approach is symbolic, with grains of sand representing the forgotten individuals who fall through the cracks,” said Mikala Klein, co-chair of the Central Florida Human Trafficking Task Force. “Our mission is to prevent, reduce, and ultimately eliminate human trafficking.”

As National Human Trafficking Prevention Month comes to an end, nonprofit organizations, survivors, elected officials, and law enforcement came together to mark the day on Saturday.

Read: Attorney General Ashley Moody announces new efforts to help survivors of human trafficking

People of all ages showed up in support of the event, but the cause is even more important to Olivia Littleton.

“I met almost every single man that hurt me through a website or an app,” said Littleton, who’s a survivor and member of the ‘One More Child’ organization in Central Florida. “Between the ages of 19 and 22, I was abused by a man who was 15 years older than me, who I met on a dating app.”

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