(COLORADO SPRINGS)– Colorado Springs-based nonprofit organization The Exodus Road works to eliminate human trafficking across the world and locally.
According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline in 2023, 440 tips were received from Colorado.
It’s commonly known as modern slavery, and in 2023 Colorado had the sixth-highest number of human trafficking reports in the nation. The Human Trafficking Hotline receives over one hundred calls and texts from Colorado every month, many from survivors seeking help or concerned community members reporting a tip.
“We didn’t know if we could rescue one kid, let alone the almost 3,000. So, we started to collect these stones, and we had no idea someday our office would be full of almost 3,000 stones,” said Matt Parker, with Exodus Road. “Every one of these stones is a child, man, or woman that has been saved because of the work of Exodus Road.”
In the last 14 years, the Exodus Road has helped nearly 3,000 survivors globally.
“It’s in the hundreds of cases each year and we’re seeing the numbers rise here in Colorado,” said Dr. Andrew Hoskins, Chief Operating Officer at Exodus Road.
According to The Human Trafficking Hotline, in 2023, Colorado identified 165 cases and 298 victims.
“In Colorado Springs, we are right on the I-25 corridor that just sees a lot of traffic, in general, urban areas do have a higher population density which just leads to more vulnerability,” said Dr. Hoskins.
90 of those cases were related to sex, 30 were sex and labor, and 19 were labor trafficking.
“Labor trafficking cases in the state of Colorado, almost all come from the agricultural sector, we have parts of the state where farmers do rely on a large labor force,” he said.
Fast fashion is one of the leading industries with human labor trafficking, and Dr. Hoskins said it is important to be aware of the different hands that touch the products you buy.
“There are ways that we can make smarter purchases, be a knowledgeable consumer, and there are ways that we can be ignorant and probably be adding to the problem. In the fashion industry, specifically, there is a huge demand for cheap clothing that’s made quickly and that often is only possible with exploited labor,” he said.
On Oct. 26 FOX21 News is hosting a fashion show called ‘Fashion with A Purpose’ to promote “slow fashion” in an effort to reduce human trafficking. For tickets and more information click here.
Exodus Road said most human trafficking happens within a person’s country, meaning that most reports in the U.S. are taking place in states, often the crime goes under-reported, but there can be signs to look out for.
“So if you’re in a situation and someone is speaking for another person you might ask a question to one individual but then the man who is with them answers for them, or their story doesn’t make sense, really anything that just seems off, then it’s worth just asking. Don’t dismiss it, take the extra step. Try to get to know that person, and see if they if they would really be open to any help,” added Dr. Hoskins.
The Exodus Road provides 20-minute training sessions for people to learn how to have an active role in fighting human trafficking.
“We have a blank stone, and that stone is to remind us to look at it and say ‘we can rescue one more’ because every child is worth saving,” said Parker.
If you know anyone who might be in trouble call 911 or The Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233-733.
