SpiritFest Supports Anti-trafficking Efforts UNBOUND NOW BREAKS CHAINS IN AUSTIN

by Charlotte Kovalchuk | photos by Nate Gelabert

WHEN UNBOUND NOW REACHED OUT TO LIBERTY HILL BUSINESSES ABOUT THEIR NEW AUSTIN OFFICE DEVOTED TO SUPPORTING HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS IN CENTRAL TEXAS, AGAPE BBQ WAS ALREADY LOOKING FOR A NONPROFIT TO SUPPORT FOR ITS ANNUAL SPIRITFEST FUNDRAISER.

Agape co-owner and pitmaster Jeremy Archer found the opportunity to bring awareness to trafficking serendipitously timed with the theatrical release of Sound of Freedom. “We feel like human trafficking is just now starting to get awareness and is one of those issues that is about to explode. We’re seeing more and more people wanting to get involved in fighting human trafficking and helping people out of human trafficking. We’re excited to help financially as [Unbound Now] expands and grows.”

A day of music, barbecue, and family fun, SpiritFest took over Agape BBQ in September, featured bands from area worship centers like Fellowship Church, Selah Hills, Antioch Austin, and Life Church, and concluded with Preachers on the Radio and Royal Knaves. “It provided a great opportunity for members of churches and the community to connect and spend time in worship as well as raise awareness for a worthy cause,” Agape co-owner Lonnie Wendling says.

Trafficking In Texas

In 2016, the University of Texas published a human trafficking report that included an estimate of 313,453 victims of trafficking in Texas, with the majority of cases occurring in the “Texas Triangle” — Dallas to San Antonio to Houston. “We are right in the middle of the triangle, so being on I-35 between San Antonio and Dallas, trafficking in Williamson County is significant,” says Teri Jansen, co-founder and executive director of programs for Key2Free, an anti-trafficking nonprofit in Georgetown.

As Austin is a particular trafficking hotspot in Central Texas, due to large events like SXSW and ACL, Unbound Now was inspired to open a local office in August 2022. The organization supports adults and minors affected by sex and labor trafficking in Williamson, Travis, Hays, and Bastrop counties through crisis response and case management as well as prevention education and public outreach.

Trafficking Myths

Most of the time, trafficking isn’t how it looks on the news or social media. Part of Unbound Now’s mission is debunking myths like the belief that trafficking mainly involves missing children. “A lot of times kids are living at home and are still going to school. They’re not missing kids but they are being exploited,” says Liz Griffin, executive director of Unbound Now Austin. “The majority of trafficking in the United States is not from some stranger, but from someone the child has a relationship with.”

Another misconception is that all victims are female, and all traffickers are male. Many victims are male while traffickers can be any age, gender, and demographic, all feeding off the vulnerabilities of potential victims, such as homelessness or an inability to pay rent or a car note. Teri says it’s important for the community to realize the different forms and demographics of human trafficking, because “if we are defining human trafficking by what we see in the media, we’re missing nearly 90 percent of victims.”

Stay Safe

When it comes to prevention, “people automatically think of [being careful at] malls, bus stations, and theaters—and that’s true. You should avoid going to places by yourself and be aware of your surroundings,” Teri says, adding that the biggest threat is virtual. “Most of the time traffickers are making their initial contact to establish a relationship through social media, online gaming, and texting.”

She urges individuals to keep their social media accounts private as well as share their location and tag friends only after they get back from vacations.

Join The Fight

Since opening Unbound Now’s Austin office, Liz has been overwhelmed by enthusiasm and support, especially in Williamson County. “People in Williamson County genuinely care about their communities and their neighbors, and they want to be part of the solution.”

She urges people to:

•  Learn about the realities and signs of human trafficking by taking Unbound Now’s training sessions.

•  Volunteer their time by becoming a trainer or mentor with Unbound Now’s early intervention groups.

•  Support the organization’s anti-trafficking efforts by donating at unboundnow.org/give

“I know it can feel overwhelming when people try to wrap their head around something like this happening in their own community,” Liz says. “At the same time, there are incredible stories of people rallying together and seeing change happen. I encourage anyone reading this — parents, teachers, baristas, school bus drivers, or emergency room doctors — that everyone has a part to play in the multi-disciplinary approach to end human trafficking.”