Spokane Valley High students join fight against human trafficking

A group of Spokane Valley High School students asked to consider how to make their city a better place directed their efforts toward stopping human trafficking.

The high school students raised money for victims, collected clothing and created a website offering national statistics on the topic, information about how to help stop trafficking and links to learn about companies using forced labor.

“I thought slavery had been abolished. I thought it was just African-Americans doing housework and stuff a long time ago. I thought prostitutes were there because they wanted to be,” said Angela Mace, 16. A slave could be anybody. “It could be my best friend. It could be me.”

Students at Spokane Valley in the West Valley School District were inspired to do work after hearing from Lutheran Community Services’ anti-human trafficking coordinator about local efforts to help victims of labor and sex trafficking. A bus ad, “On the Road to Freedom,” launched last week to reach out to human trafficking victims in Spokane.

Authorities estimate there are more than 500 sex slaves in Spokane. There are 14,000 to 17,500 humans trafficked into the United States each year, according to U.S. Department of State. Most victims are between the ages of 14 and 24.

“This is a ginormous problem that is rising each day with more and more women, men, girls and boys being trafficked every minute,” student Samantha Pugh said. “They are taken from their homes and offered a ‘better life.’ ”

The students raised $829 to donate to Generation Alive and Lutheran Community Services “to help survivors who have found a way out of human trafficking, and even some men and women who are still stuck in this terrifying place,” Pugh said.

The money is for needs such as travel, rent or food.

“We also did a clothing drive,” Mace said. “The reason we did that is because some of them have to get rape kits done at the hospital, and their clothes are taken away.”

Teens also looked up name brands they wear and researched www.free2work.org – a website that grades companies based on the type of labor they use.

The International Labor Organization estimates 14.2 million people around the world are doing forced labor in trades such as agriculture, construction, domestic work and manufacturing.

Earlier this week, students hosted a community night and spaghetti dinner to spread the word about human trafficking.

“I think they did a really good job,” said Emilee Hearrean, their teacher. “They learned a lot and they are talking about the issue at home. It’s been a class that they are proud of and, hopefully, they will remember for years to come.”