Human Trafficking Awareness Day Jan. 11

Each year, an estimated 14,500-17,500 men, women and children are trafficked into the United States, and held as captives in the underground world of sex slavery and forced labor. To commemorate the National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, Jan. 11, the Bonita Springs-based Florida Coalition Against Human Trafficking will be hosting a series of activities throughout the state to help increase the community awareness on the issue of Human Trafficking.

The Coalition will host an art exhibit titled "Freedom of Expression," at Florida Gulf Coast University. The exhibit will show paintings from survivors of human trafficking. These paintings show how each survivor has coped with being exploited.

The Episcopal Diocese of Southwest Florida will observe the National Human Trafficking Awareness Day with a special prayer during service.

The Florida Coalition against Human Trafficking is an entity within The Immigrant Rights Advocacy Center, Inc., a non-profit corporation, It was created by Anna Rodriguez in May 2004. Ms. Rodriguez has extensive experience in how to identify victims, provide advocacy, and an understanding of how to pursue justice for victims based on her experience in law enforcement.

Internationally, estimates suggest that that any given moment, there are 12.3 million people on the planet in forced labor, bonded labor forced child labor, and sexual servitude; other estimates range from 4 million to 27 million.