The Paso Del Norte Hope Center needs your help

The El Paso-based agency exists to support and protect victims of human trafficking while leading anti-human trafficking efforts in the El Paso area.

Every day… in every country and city around the world… men, women and children are forced into slavery and/or the sex trade. It is each countryincluding America and including El Paso.

El Paso provides easy access in and out of Mexico and I-10 is the busiest traffic route in the United States.

Victims may be kidnapped, but they are also often “given” to traffickers by their relatives or trusted people in exchange for money, drugs or other things. It’s a $150 billion industry that has claimed 20.9 million lives so far.

68% of these victims are forced to work, more than half (55%) are women and 26% are children. 1 in 6 young runaways will be victims of trafficking and all these numbers continue to increase every year.

It took being asked by the Paso Del Norte Center Of Hope to host a fundraiser to let me know about them and the work they do. Unfortunately, many others don't know about them either or don't understand how much this issue affects us.

This is happening right under our noses. The traffickers are fast and ruthless while the victims are too terrified to speak. You've probably seen them, maybe even one of them has taken care of you, without even knowing it. Victims are forced to work at many otherwise legitimate businesses, such as:

Labor trafficking: construction, restaurants, cleaning, elderly care, domestic service, agricultural work, nail salons, wedding – pdncoh.org

Sex trafficking: strip clubs, bars, marriage, sex work, online sites, modeling agencies, massage parlors – pdncoh.org

This is a “silent” crime, which is why the Paso Del Norte Hope Center exists. To shed light on this, let victims know there is a way out and educate us all on what to look for and what to do if we suspect trafficking.

The statistics are frightening and hearing the testimony of a trafficking victim was heartbreaking. Please help the Paso Del Norte Hope Center help others by donating whatever you can.

Money, clothes, food, goods or services, your time…it all matters. You can donate here or, if you prefer, you can just go shopping. Items purchased through this sponsored link are sent directly to the center which is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.