Protecting America’s Children From Human Trafficking (NAPSA}—Every year, many of America’s children become victims of human trafficking, a rapidly growing criminal industry. The best way to protect children, experts say, is to make sure they have happylives and safe homes. Take the case of “Ashleigh,” a 15-year-old girl who wasliving on the streets after a childhood of neglect, sexual abuse, abandonForced into prostitution, Ash- One nonprofit organization offers a safe home for children who are vulnerable and at risk for becoming involved in humantrafficking. yearsof slavery, torture, hopelessness andfear. we help have been solicited on herlife. criminal industry, surpassing of Covenant House, the nation’s tim of human trafficking, call shelters for homeless and at-risk speak with a counselor who can help.A victim of humantrafficking ment and unsuccessful foster care placements. leigh wastrafficked from city to “Whenproblemsarise, we must city against her will along with several other girls as young as 12. deal with them immediately so Constant beatings by customers our young people donotfall prey and her pimp caused Ashleigh to to bad decisions like running consider suicide to end her two away,”said Ryan. “Manyof the homeless kids Finally, one night, when the the streets or muscled into the pimp was passed out from crack sex trade,” said Ryan. “This cocaine, Ashleigh escaped to the threat is worsening. Research safety of Covenant House, where predicts humantrafficking will she is now picking up thepieces of rise to the second-largest global “Tragically, humantrafficking is black market arms sales and not an uncommon story in the behind drug dealing.” US.,” said Kevin Ryan, president If you suspect someoneis a viclargest privately funded system of youth. “This criminal industry is expanding rapidly, trafficking more than 1 million of the world’s chil- dren for labor or sexual exploitation. Twenty thousand are U.S. kids, homeless and runaways, who are vulnerable andgullible.” The shelters have been saving children and young adults from human trafficking, slavery and homelessness since the agency's founding in 1972. Across 22 sites in six countries, Covenant House provides support, a healing community and a host of legal and medical services to over 70,000 youths each year. NINELINE (1-800-999-9999) to may exhibit the followingtraits: Seems controlled, isolated * Avoids eye contact * Bruises or battering * Fear, depression, tension, submissiveness, nervousness Seems watchedor followed No knowledge of whatcity he or shelives in Few personal possessions Limited communications * Malnourishment, sleep deprivation. For more information, visit www.covenanthouse.org/action/ human-trafficking.
