There are over a million cases of human trafficking in the United States. It's a nationwide and local problem, with most of the victims ranging between the ages of A large percentage of those that are human-trafficked are sex-trafficked, and many of them are minors. On Saturday, July 27, a female minor made a plea for help in Eugene.
Volunteers say they were unable to help her find emergency shelter in time. One's Purpose is a local non-profit that provides refuge, counseling and resources for victims of human trafficking.
The young woman had an open case with the Oregon Department of Human Services and they couldn't reach her caseworker. Hours of calls kept referring them to Looking Glasses' Station Seven, only to find that the facility was closed due to renovations. And Hope Ranch Ministries, where young women used to be able to go, closed after the owner died.
You know, when are you going to be over here, what are you doing, you know; she Facetimed," Wilkinson continues. That's when the volunteers realized they needed to call an emergency meeting to help young women find shelter at a quicker pace. Over a dozen local organizations and government officials came together to find a way to fix the broken system.
They believe one of the answers is finding more community families to open up their homes to become certified emergency hosts providing beds for minors, which could be the answer for minors in the future looking to this community for help. If you're interested in becoming an emergency certified host family, visit A Family for Every Child.
