National Freedom Day Celebrated To Highlight Human Trafficking in Florida

CLEARWATER, Fla., Feb. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- While the society around us goes about daily pleasantries and difficulties, it is a stunning circumstance that, right here in our very area, slavery exists in the here and now.

The Fort Harrison in Clearwater was the site of a Saturday evening of enlightenment that emphasized the situation where many suffer an indentured servitude or out-right slavery.  The nearly 200 hundred in attendance heard from leaders and activists in this arena of human rights violations.

Gracia Bennish of United for Human Rights, spoke that human trafficking includes sex trafficking of women and men, labor trafficking, and commercial sexual exploitation of children. To prosecute, the police need evidence, testimonial from the victim. Many victims are in fear of their life and their families, and will not testify and, at the heart of this painful issue is the demand, the one who buys. For these reasons, human trafficking remains and will remain very attractive to the criminal. And, is now ranked as the fastest growing crime in America.

Anna Rodriguez, founder of the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking, along with many community activists and supporters, were in attendance. Giselle Rodriguez, Anna's daughter, gave an impactful presentation, including video, to bring home the severity and cost of human suffering of so many who live in fear and under dominating control. Rodriguez is the Founder of Tampa Bay Rescue and Restore, which solely focuses on the issue of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, and is the State Outreach Coordinator for the Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking. She noted that Florida is in the top three States in the US in the volume in human trafficking, and that 2.5 million are living in slavery in the United States.

More education, participation, enlightenment and action is called for to combat this plague on our society.

About the Sponsors & Groups:

United for Human Rights provides educational booklets and videos on the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and teaching curricula for middle school, high school and college students. The organization provides these materials free of charge to educators.

The Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking, an international and domestic anti-trafficking agency, is a 501(c)(3) organization that has been helping victims of human trafficking since its creation in 2004. The mission of FCAHT is to improve and provide outreach and services to victims of human trafficking throughout the State of Florida by developing support programs, networking, coalition building, training, service delivery, and referrals to victims in need. 

Youth for Human Rights Florida is a chapter of Youth for Human Rights International. This is a secular non-profit organization with the purpose to educate people on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights so they become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace. The uniqueness of the program lies in its educational materials. Their educational materials include youth-designed video of the 30 Human Rights, along with the award-winning music video UNITED - a street-savvy, multi-ethnic, five minute film in 15 languages - conveying the power of human rights awareness. Visit www.youthforhumanrights.org

The Fort Harrison is owned by the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization and is home to their international religious retreat. The Auditorium, Crystal Ballroom and Board Rooms are available to charity groups for their meetings and functions, free of charge, when available.

Contact: Pat Harney, 1-727-467-6860, [email protected]

SOURCE Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization