Jacksonville, Fla. – In honor of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, members of San José Catholic Church, the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition, Catholic Charities and Catholic Relief Services are joining forces to heighten awareness about human trafficking in Northeast Florida, Wednesday, Jan. 15 (in English), and Thursday, Jan. 16 (in Spanish), from 7 to 9 p.m. both evenings, at the church’s parish hall, 3619 Toledo Road.

Human trafficking or modern day slavery affects millions of people each year – mostly girls and women – who have been kidnapped into the sex trade or who are forced to spend years paying off debts owed to traffickers who have forced them into a life of slave labor.

“This very real and horrific problem exists in our society today,” said Ruby Peters, a parishioner at San José and one of the organizers of the event. “Since 2009, the traffickers who were prosecuted and sentenced in Jacksonville were from South Carolina, Tallahassee, New York City and Virginia. Our hope is that these two evenings will educate more people and increase awareness of the problem. If we are mindful of the signs victims may exhibit, we can help end the trade of human beings.” 

An abridged version of the film, Not My Life, will be shown during both evenings, followed by presentations by local experts, and an opportunity for questions and discussion. For more information, contact Ruby Peters at (904) 448-6555.