When Human Trafficking Hits Close To Home!

For two years, I had the opportunity to serve as an instructor facilitating Anti-Trafficking Training for The No More Foundation. Working alongside Kait Poppa, we shared with audiences at universities, government entities, and small businesses, however, my favorite venue was always the high schools. Here we discussed the raw reality of human trafficking, hoping to reach those at a very vulnerable age to protect them from future exploitation.  

There was one high school we trained at that stands out in my mind. On the first day Kait and I presented, a student went missing. It was later confirmed through a private investigator that this young person had left campus within 15 minutes of our arrival and entered a trafficking situation. Talk about the issue hitting close to home! Thankfully that student was located, but this underscores the importance of these training sessions, as it encourages students to advocate for each other, helps them spot the signs of human trafficking and empowers them to report suspicious activity at school, where they work, and in their neighborhoods. 

When I returned to the school some time later for additional training the level of student engagement was unlike any I had ever experienced. While previous sessions had been a mixed bag of both attentiveness and disruption among students, for this one they were extraordinarily focused. Students were eager, constantly raising their hands, asking thoughtful questions and actively participating in discussion. At the one hour mark, when I would usually conclude my presentation, I realized I was only halfway through the material. 

After quickly wrapping up the presentation (hitting the most important parts), the students left and one of the teachers who typically didn’t stay for presentations approached me. She mentioned that it was amazing to see the students so dialed in. She also shared that there were at least six or seven students in the group who were in foster care, and that all of the students in the group had likely experienced or witnessed some of the material I presented firsthand.

Even though I had given these presentations on a regular basis, experiences like this always served to remind me of the importance of caring for the vulnerable people in our communities. We each have a role we can play, whether it’s spreading awareness, supporting local organizations, or serving in outreach opportunities. Everyone can do something!

If you are interested in learning more about our free anti-trafficking training or would like to have us bring it to your school, place of employment, church, or civic organization, please visit our website at https://declarenomore.com/training/. If you are interested in learning how you can become a facilitator, email Kait Poppa, Anti-Trafficking Manager at kait@declarenomore.com for more details.

Together we declare, “No More!”

~ Written by Caleb Bell, Key Volunteer & Former Anti-Trafficking Specialist