Human Trafficking Awareness Forum Returns To Santa Maria in January
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - Thinking ahead to next month, the Santa Maria Rotary Club is spreading the word about the next forum raising awareness of human trafficking happening locally.
Members of the 12-year-running Human Trafficking Task Force say that while the forum is a ways away, the issue itself is ever-present.
A survivor of human trafficking, Alia Azariah who now works as the Safe House Project’s aftercare director, says the northern part of Santa Barbara county including the Santa Maria Valley is significantly impacted by human trafficking.
Azariah says online trafficking activities saw a sharp increase during the COVID-19 pandemic and have remained high, since kids had no choice but to seek connection via social media.
Data for Santa Barbara County shows nearly 300 human trafficking investigations overall in the last decade.
Organizers hope to continue increasing the turnout for the annual awareness and training forum, and the community is urged to mark their calendars for late January.
Azariah says that January may be Human Trafficking Awareness Month, but it’s good to treat every month the same way.
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