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Middle Georgia ALERT Combats Human Trafficking
Linh Bui
Story Created:
Feb 17, 2010 at 5:41 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Feb 17, 2010 at 10:48 PM CDT
"When I sleep, my dreams are filled with violence and rape.” That is part of testimony from a victim of human trafficking.
As Chair of the Middle Georgia Alliance to End Regional Trafficking, or Middle Georgia ALERT, Dr. Andrew Silver spoke to Bibb County DFCS case workers Wednesday about the growing problem in Macon.
"Where you find Asian massage parlors, you will find human trafficking. Macon currently has 20 times the amount of sex spas as Washington D.C.,” he says.
The group says DFCS employees are on the frontline and are most likely to encounter victims first hand. The group handed out information to help case workers ask the right questions.
Katey Brown with Middle Georgia ALERT says, "We want to enable and empower the DFCS workers to recognize the signs of human trafficking that a victim may not be able to articulate themselves."
Bibb County Commissioner Joe Allen attended the conference. He's confident the county and city will pass ordinances regulating spas through fingerprints and background checks.
"We told them we were going to put it on the fast track. We did put it on the fast track. And it will be in law in two weeks," Allen says.
Another part of the problem is the billboards along I-75. Middle Georgia ALERT urges citizens to contact these billboard companies and ask them not to sell advertising space to massage parlors or spas.
"The gateways to the city from both north and south are about the sex industry,” Brown says.
The spas have become part of Macon's identity, but maybe not for much longer.
If you have questions about human trafficking, Commissioner Joe Allen and Dr. Andrew Silver will be our guests on the FOX Files Thursday night. You can also click on News Links on our home page for a link to Middle Georgia ALERT.
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Den Mal said on Monday, Feb 22 at 6:53 AM
...does not mean this is not happening
Den Mal said on Monday, Feb 22 at 6:52 AM
To You Nazis--just because there have been no arrests does not mean this is happening. Why is Corr fighting it? Does he visit or have some kind of stake in the $$$$$$s?
You Nazis said on Thursday, Feb 18 at 3:18 PM
Tony,there have been no charges or arrests for trafficking at any Macon Spa. It isn't happening at the spas and we will be watching Allen and Silver and will sue em for Libel if need be.
Tony Garrett said on Thursday, Feb 18 at 12:28 PM
What is being done to prosecute the person or persons responsible for human trafficking. How are governments working together to combat this horrendous act.
You Nazis said on Wednesday, Feb 17 at 7:51 PM
You should have Corr on there to refute the lies of Allen and Silver. They are bald faced liars as Corr proved last night. I guess you are no longer fair and balanced.
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