Health Department – ‘Red Sand Project’ brings awareness to Human Trafficking

JACKSON, Tennessee – Staff members at the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department helped bring awareness to human trafficking while participating in the ‘Red Sand Project,’ Wednesday.

Recognized as a major public health issue, staff members poured red sand in sidewalk cracks outside the health department to draw attention to the human trafficking victims who fall through the cracks of society.

According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, on average, every two minutes, a child is bought or sold for sex in the United States. The average age of a child sold for sex is 13-years-old. Human trafficking is the second-fastest growing criminal industry, according to TBI.

Human trafficking victims and survivors can suffer from physical and psychological health issues. Health concerns commonly reported in trafficking victims can include:
Sexually transmitted diseases
HIV/AIDS
Unintended pregnancy or high-risk pregnancy
Substance abuse or addiction
Undetected or untreated diseases, such as diabetes or cancer

Human trafficking is a hidden crime. Victims might be afraid to come forward, or may not recognize the signs. Common signs of human trafficking can include:
Lack of health care and/or denied medical services by employer
Fears authority figures (law enforcement)
Has a prepaid “burner” cell phone
Avoids eye contact
Branded or marked with a tattoo, such as a man’s name, symbol of money and/or bar code
Not able to speak for him or herself

If you or someone you know needs help to escape trafficking, call the Tennessee Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-855-558-6484 or text BEFREE to 233733.

(PHOTO: Health Department staff members Molly Holland, left, tuberculosis department, and Erin Ford, environmental department, participate in the ‘Red Sand Project,’ Wednesday – courtesy Mallory Cooke, public information officer, Regional Health Department)