National Human Trafficking Prevention Month

The 5th National Human Trafficking Prevention Month begins in only a few hours. On January 4, 2010 the President of the United States signed a Presidential Proclamation titled, “National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month”. This was the first of what has continued to be the month that advocates, activists, NGO’s, and anyone else that is involved in the anti-human trafficking efforts in the United States and around the world step up to the plate and proclaim with their projects, programs, and events, that we will put an end to modern slavery — human trafficking. Of the hundred’s of projects and events, one such effort by the Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives was the 100 Days to Freedom initiative and the writing of the Proclamation of Freedom, a modern day Emancipation Proclamation commemorating the 150 years of the signing of the original EP.

Within the verbiage of the proclamation the President states, “As we continue our fight to deliver on the promise of freedom, we commemorate the Emancipation Proclamation, which became effective on January 1, 1863, and the 13th Amendment, which was sent to the States for ratification on February 1, 1865.Throughout the month of January, we highlight the many fronts in the ongoing battle for civil rights — including the efforts of our Federal agencies; State, local, and tribal law enforcement partners; international partners; nonprofit social service providers; private industry and nongovernmental organizations around the world who are working to end human trafficking.”

In the previous years, we see the headlines that read, Human Trafficking Awareness Month”, which is much different in scope than the actual proclamation that encourages a “Prevention” month. When we focus on awareness, we bring light to a matter. When we focus on prevention, we think about solutions and how we can change a matter.

National Educators to Stop Trafficking (NEST) would like to encourage everyone, everywhere, to join in this 5th annual “National Human Trafficking Prevention Month” and think about what it will take to indeed prevent more victims of this horrendous crime. Prevention does indeed start with awareness and education and can shift into hands on prevention by implementing real solutions. We applaud the curriculum providers who are members of NEST and say thank you for your many hours of writing curriculum and your hard work and dedication aimed at the goal of empowering students who are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to stand up against sex trafficking and to create a culture that supports a world free of gender-based violence.