(GEORGETOWN, Del.) – A human trafficking awareness campaign known as the ‘Red Sand Project’ comes to Georgetown for the first time ever.
Today 40.3 million people live as slaves but the Red Sand Project is combatting against that to raise awareness for human trafficking.
The National Foundation for Women’s Legislatures holds the Red Sand Project in Georgetown for the first time this year to coincide with National Children’s Day. This helps tell the untold story of those affected by human trafficking, particularly children.
The Red Sand Project started in Texas a few years ago. Participants get involved by taking some environmentally safe sand and filling the cracks of sidewalks. The project is all about bringing awareness to the children and people, particularly women and children who might be falling through the cracks and becoming servants and slaves through sex and human trafficking.
With problems of human trafficking arising in the area and around the Dover Airforce base, this project ties close to home. Delaware’s statute for human trafficking laws didn’t come into effect until 2014. This project is great to continue to raise the awareness of the human trafficking problem, in Delaware and throughout the United States.
Truono notes that it’s important to use the tools available to monitor the financial service industry and track down and save some of the victims.
Police officers emphasize the importance of not being afraid to seek help. They want to let the young victims know that they can reach out to the police department. A lot of times they make these victims feel like they’re going to be in trouble because they’re runaways, but that is not the case. Law enforcement can help victims of human trafficking obtain a U Visa and they can help other victims of crime within the United States apply for assistance.
The Red Sand Project is expanding across the country to save the overlooked populations from slipping through the cracks. The Red Sand Project aims to get more people involved by sharing the sidewalk cracks they fill on social media and using the hashtag: #redsandproject.