GC student organization raises awareness about Human Trafficking
GC ‘End It Movement’ President Kara Kalish, 2021
Lillie Sirmans | Reporter
(Milledgeville, Ga) — A group of Georgia College students is trying to shine a light on human trafficking by getting the community to participate in a special day.
“The End It Movement is a coalition of global organizations that came together to help raise awareness and to fight for modern-day slavery,” said Kara Kalish, President of GC’s ‘End It’ Movement.
The group is a new service organization run through the GC Give Center. “Right now, there’s over 40-million men, women, and children who are trapped in Human Trafficking,” Kalish said. Experts say in Georgia alone, between 200-400 adolescent girls are sold online each month.
To increase awareness of this global problem, the End it Movement has an annual event called “Shine a Light on Slavery Day.” To mark the occasion, people worldwide will draw a red X on their hand to show they are against human trafficking. This year it will be on Thursday, February 25th.
In January, Governor Brian Kemp and Georgia’s First Lady Marty Kemp unveiled new legislation to go after human trafficking in the Peach State. The measures would make it easier for survivors to change their legal names and allow them to sue their captors. Another initiative would require drivers renewing or seeking a new commercial license to complete a course on how to spot human trafficking.
“With these important initiatives and the support of our state and national partners, we can continue taking important steps to end modern-day slavery and ensure that our state is a safe haven for survivors - not their abusers,” said Mrs. Kemp.
Kalish says, “We won’t stop raising awareness until no one is left in slavery, and no one will know unless the whole world knows about this issue.” To find out how you can get involved in this organization, you can contact the membership chair at tony.wyche@bobcats.gcsu.edu.