Milwaukee residents may soon notice some provocative billboards around the city. They’re part of a new campaign designed to raise awareness about human trafficking of young children and teenagers.
While law enforcement would not give exact numbers, they say there’s been an increase in cases across Milwaukee and the state. Community leaders gathered on Thursday to discuss the problem.
Dana World-Patterson started the Human Trafficking Task Force of Greater Milwaukee in 2009. She says she’s worked with many young people who’ve been forced into prostitution. She says the average age of a victim is 13.
“Children are not property to be sold for someone’s pleasure. Children should be playing, learning and growing to be positive contributors in our communities, not victims of forced fraud and coercion to perform sex acts,” World-Patterson says.
The busy intersection of 27th and North Avenue provided the backdrop for the news conference. Patterson stood near a large vending machine bearing a photo of two destitute teenage girls. The caption reads “there are some things that should never be for sale.”
Campaign organizers will place several machines at heavy-traffic intersections throughout the city. Instead of dispensing soda or candy, the machines will give out cards explaining where victims can find help.
In addition, the awareness campaign will include posters popping up at more than a dozen bus shelters in the next month. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karine Moreno Taxman says many predators nab children at bus stops. Others lure homeless runaways into prostitution. Taxman implored the community to be vigilant this summer.
“When you see that sign, look around. See if you see a child who’s desperate and in need of help, a child who looks like they have nobody who cares about them, because that’s who’s most vulnerable and who we need to protect,” Taxman says.
Another person on hand was Milwaukee County Executive Chris Abele. He vowed the county will step up its efforts to help those who are most susceptible to trafficking.
“The sooner we can get to people who are homeless, the sooner we can get to people as they age out of foster care or child welfare, the sooner we can connect people to support when they come out of corrections, the more we can impact and reduce an issue we should all be ashamed even exists in our community,” Abele says.
And even though it takes place out of the public eye, Abele says human trafficking is a very real issue, and society has an obligation to take action.
