SavingChildrenandWomenfromHumanTrafficking DeborahSigmundreceivesanunexpectedsurprizeonaholidaytriptoEuropeA moderndayslaverywashappening,humantraffickinghappensinallplacestoallages!...Iwas justhorrifiedthatIlearnedthatchildrenwereactuallytakenandsold.Itwasabusiness!Ona tripinEurope,DeborahSigmunds,motherofateenagedaughter,eyeswereopenedtothe horrendousrealityofHuman&SexTrafficking.OnthistriptoEuropein2003,Deborahrealized howseriousthisproblemwas.Itshappeningallovertheworld,evenhereintheUnitedStates. ShelaterbecametheFounderandExecutiveDirectorofInnocentsAtRisk. InnocentsatRiskstartedafterMrs.SigmundstriptoEurope.ShecamebacktotheUS andgoteducated.Oncesheunderstoodwhatwashappeningsheinformedallofhermany friendsabouthowcrucialhumantraffickingis.Soonaftershestartedworkingwithafriendthat workedattheUNandwaslaterintroducedtoPaulaDobrianskywhoworkedattheUSstate department.Mrs.Sigmundthenbegantospeakatembassieswherethereweremany ambassadorsandpeoplefromoverseawhoweremorefamiliarizedwithhumantrafficking.Mrs.

SigmundsconnectionsandKnowledgecontinuedtospreadandfinallyin2005thecompany became501(c)(3)nonprofitorganization.InnocentsatRiskfightingagainsthumantraffickingand isfoundedbyDeborahSigmund.AlongwithothernonprofitorganizationsInnocentsatRiskhas beenworkingtoinformAmericansaboutchildtraffickinginAmericaandaroundtheworld.

In2009,Deborahfoundoutaboutan orphanageintheDominicanRepubliccalledNinos deCristo.AfriendthatlivedinNewYorkwhowent hometoDominicanRepubliccamebackandtold Deborahaboutit.Oncesheheardaboutitshemet withthefounderofNinosdeCristowhowashalf DominicanandhalfAmerican.NinosdeCristo (ChildrenofChrist)isahomeforchildrenwhoare orphanedandabused.Shewentbackto DominicanRepublicbecausesheknewthatthere werekidsthatneededherhelp.Thenshebeganto spreadthenews!Deborahmetwithairline ambassadorsandeducatedthemontrafficking. ThatsameyearDeborahwasinvitedonaplaneto DominicanRepublic.ImetwiththeAmericanAirlineAmbassadorsbecauseIknewthatthey werealreadydoingmissionaryworkaroundtheworldandseeingorphans,theairlineswere alreadyworkingwiththem.SoItoldthemabouttrafficking.Iwantedthemtobealert,awareand useourflightattendedinitiative,sotheyagreedandthentheysaidwehaveaplanegoingtothe DominicanRepublicandIcouldn'tbelievemyeyes. WhileintheDominicanRepublic,DeborahalsofoundoutaboutJackiesHouse.Jackies

Houseisahomeforchildrenwhoarephysicallychallenged.JackiesHouseislocatedinSanto Domingo.AtJackiesHousetheyprovideshelterandcareforapproximately35childrenmostof whichhaveparentsthathavebeenimprisoned.Bothhavechildrenthathavebeenabandonedor whoseparentsareimprisonedandhavenoprotection.IfItwasn'tforJackie'sHouseandNinos deCristomostofthesekidswouldhavebeenavictimofhumantrafficking.Sincefoundingthese orphanagesDeborahvisitsDominicanRepubliconaregularbasis. Themajorityoftraffickingvictimsarebetween18and24yearsofageandanestimated 1.2millionchildrenaretraffickedeachyear.TheInnocentsatRiskwebsitestates,Accordingto theDepartmentofState,2millionwomenandchildrenarevictimsofhumantraffickingevery year.IntheUnitedStates,threethousandchildrenareforcedintochildprostitutionandchild pornographyeachyear.InWashingtonDCalone,thetraffickingofinnocentchildrenisa100 milliondollarindustry.Fromourresearch,wefoundthatinmostcases52percentofthose recruitingvictimsaremenand42percentarewomen. WhenaskingDeborahisherjobatInnocentsatRiskhashadanimpactonherlifeshe answersohyes!,withagiggle.InnocentsAtRiskisbasicallyDeborahslifenow.Becauseshe workswithsomanyotherpeopleandnonprofitorganizationssheisconstantlydoinginterviews andbeingcontacted,itsa24/7job!Flightattendantscontactbyphonewhenadirectresponse isneeded.Shealsogetsemotionalwhentalkingabouthowpeoplearewillingtohelpandget involved.Manypeoplearehelpingwiththisnonprofitorganizationandarenotgettingpaid.They dothisbecausehumantraffickingismodernslaveryanditshouldn'tbehappeningtoday!To helpstophumantraffickingyoucanbeactiveinyourcommunityandlearnwhatgoingoninyour neighborhood,makesureeverythingissave.Youcanalsoinvitespeakerstocommunities, school,placeofworktocreateawareness.