Human trafficking has been described as the crime that almost nobody sees, although it takes place every day in broad daylight. A community conversation in Tallahassee the evening of Feb. 20 aimed to make more people aware of what human trafficking looks like.
One of the panelists at the community conversation was Jamie Rosseland from Jacksonville. She brought a unique perspective to the conversation as she was a victim of trafficking herself.
"It's really hidden in plain sight in these areas of life that people get uncomfortable looking at and talking about and trying to find the root causes of."
She said those who are already on the margins of society because of poverty, discrimination, or affliction are prime trafficking targets. Here was panelist Graciela Marquina, community service advocate at the Survive and Thrive Advocacy Center, which hosted the gathering at Railroad Square.
"I hope that we keep pushing with this kind of event, talking and learning from each other."
That learning, she stressed, would bring more community awareness about how to spot the signs of sex and labor trafficking that are all around us.
