Trafficking awareness extends to Northwest, Maryville

HANNAH CLAYWELL Asst. News Editor | @Hannah_9504

Thousands of men, women and children are working in terrible conditions, being treated like animals and forced to sell their bodies every year. Many trafficking victims lose hope after not being treated like a human, possibly for years.

January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and both the college and community police advise people to be aware. Only 0.4% of survivors are identified internationally, meaning most never get detected.

Women and girls make up 71% of human trafficking victims, and college students can be vulnerable as well with social media usage, economic instability and possible use of recreational substances.

This does not only affect college students, but the whole community. Police Chief Ron Christian and Detective Ryan Glidden said they could only remember one case being similar to human trafficking in Maryville.

In June 2015, a massage parlor opened in Maryville. At Sunny Massage the workers exchanged sexual acts with customers in exchange for money. Authorities became aware of this after an online advertisement containing various photos of women in different undressed states. The police addressed the issue very quickly, and the owner was arrested and charged.