One More Child Combats Human Trafficking in Ohio
September 13 2024 - 2:40PM
With Ohio ranking sixth in the nation for the highest reports of
human trafficking, One More Child is expanding its services to help
trafficking victims in Cincinnati and the surrounding
areas.
One More Child's
Anti-Trafficking Mobile Teams provide counseling, advocacy,
mentorship and other resources to individuals recovering from the
horrors of human trafficking. Mobile teams are currently based in
Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio with plans underway to
expand into other states.
“The reason this model is
so effective is because it’s tailored to the needs of the survivors
and complexities surrounding their situations,” said Danelle Davis,
director of anti-trafficking mobile teams in Ohio. “Trafficking is
happening all throughout the U.S., but the issue is much different
than how it tends to be portrayed in Hollywood. Traffickers prey on
vulnerable children and teens by developing relationships. Most
victims are groomed and manipulated over time, often by people they
know, into a cycle of exploitation. We provide the resources and
services they need, including personal mentoring, to help them
break that cycle.”
With a clear connection
between trafficking and drug addiction, One More Child’s
Anti-Trafficking team works directly with the Addictions Pod
located at the Hamilton County Justice Center and the Weightless
Anchor to help survivors on their road to recovery. Other
partnerships include Safe Harbor through the Juvenile Court,
Salvation Army’s “End Slavery Cincinnati,” and the United Way.
In addition to working
directly with trafficking survivors, mobile team experts also
conduct lunch-and-learns and formal training to agencies and
organizations, such as the Cincinnati Police Department, on how to
recognize and respond to human trafficking.
One More Child’s
Anti-Trafficking Mobile teams throughout the country have worked
alongside multiple law enforcement agencies including the U.S.
Marshal Service, Secret Service and the FBI on operations to locate
and help trafficking victims. In 2023, One More Child’s
Anti-Trafficking Mobile Teams served 1,007 trafficking clients
nationally and reached 12,969 people through education, advocacy
and awareness.
Reaching its one-year
anniversary in Cincinnati, One More Child is working to develop
additional partnerships and expand its reach throughout Ohio to
help more victims in need. “For the next year, our goal is to
triple the number of clients we serve,” said Davis.
One More Child is
currently seeking to hire a full-time clinician. To view the
position, visit https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4012274840/
About One More
Child
One More Child operates
in 26 states and 19 countries around the world, meeting the needs
of foster children, hungry childre, single moms, struggling
families, and sex-trafficked children and teens. In 2023, One More
Child provided direct services to 50,259 children and individuals
while impacting an additional 143,334 individuals through advocacy,
trainings, awareness and volunteering. One More Child provided more
than 19 million meals nationally and globally. For more information
visit www.onemorechild.org.
- Anti-Trafficking Training
- Anti-Trafficking Mobile Team in Ohio
Joe McLeod
One More Child
joe.mcleod@onemorechild.org