IT & Corrections Clubs Present: Stay Out of Traffic!

Through Moraine Park Fair Trade College education efforts, IT and Corrections Club students are helping youth “Stay out of Traffic.” The anti-trafficking initiative began this past October when over 130 participants gathered at our Fond du Lac campus for “Make Fond du Lac a Traffic Free Zone.” This event was designed to bring awareness to the crime of trafficking in people for sex or labor globally, nationally, statewide and locally.

When Moraine Park IT and Corrections Clubs students learned about the very scary issue of trafficking of youth and young adults in the Fond du Lac area, they wanted to make a difference and help educate kids, parents and guardians. The students worked together over winter break to come up with a plan to partner with the Boys & Girls Club; the FDL Police Department; and  Nancy Irizarry-Beachy, the chair of the Wisconsin Anti-Human Trafficking Consortium.

On March 16, 2017, the Boys & Girls Club hosted a special event with MPTC students presenting to 35+ middle and high school youth and FDL Police Detective Nick Hahn, and Officer Kristina Meilahn, along with Nancy Irizarry-Beachy, presenting to parents, guardians and the general public.  It was a very interactive event with youth and adults asking great questions on the dangers happening here in our Fond du Lac area community, and especially learning safe practices for computers, cell phones, social media and apps.

We are pleased to present a one hour video summary of the Stay Out of Traffic program

Figures on human trafficking globally show that 20.9 million people are victims of forced labor and human trafficking and 5.5 million of those are children. In the last UN Trafficking in Persons report, it was determined that the percentage of children being trafficked is on the rise.

Sex trafficking of children and youth is growing nationally and in Wisconsin. In the experience of our local law enforcement and service providers, sex trafficking of minors is occurring throughout the Fond du Lac area and up and down the Highway 41 corridor. In addition to trauma and sexual abuse, children and youth who are sex trafficked experience coercion, physical violence and many times drug addiction, from the traffickers and from the “johns” who purchase sex. Young people with current or past history of child abuse, being homeless, runaway, and not having a good support system are especially at risk.

For more information on Fair Trade College

For more information on Fair Trade in Fond du Lac and upcoming events

For more information on stop human trafficking efforts in Wisconsin

For more information on global efforts: International Labor Organization, International Justice Mission, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and Fair Trade America.