The most horrific crimes, involving women and children are being committed under a cover of normalcy and ignorance. Human trafficking and sex trafficking victims are exploited and abused here in Denver and very few of us will ever notice. It takes place within a dirty game of manipulation, where victims pose as the girlfriends of their abusers. An incredibly organized structure pits women against women. Many "someones" are making loads of filthy, tainted money from the abuse and tears of the innocent. Denver's position at the intersection of two major interstate highways makes it a major hub for sex trafficking. Victims are found and made within a day or two of a teenager running away from home, or the moment a parent coerces their own child to perform sex acts for money, just this one time. They're hidden in plain sight, where hotels, massage businesses, even restaurants and nail salons serve as fronts for sex trafficking rings.
This week, Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey returns to Connect & Collaborate to discuss the troubling problem of sex trafficking, the challenges of prosecuting the criminals and assisting the victims. He introduces us to Becky Bullard, Project Director for the Denver Anti-Trafficking Alliance (DATA) who explains the complications of removing victims from their captors and exploiters.
It's an uncomfortable topic, for certain. We at ICOSA hope that by listening to this interview, our audience will be better able to identify these kinds of situations, and report suspicious circumstances to save a life or simply release a child from this horror. DATA does not suggest any citizen take these situations into their own hands, or confront the abusers. If you see something suspicious, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline. 
Training is available for businesses and organizations that may confront the effects of trafficking, such as school teachers, truck drivers, or anyone who works with children. To request training, go to www.DenverAlliance.org and click on Resources.
We thank you for taking this information seriously, and for your heart to make our community safer for everyone.
To learn more, listen Saturday at 1:00PM on KNUS 710 – Please let us know what you think of our program, either by commenting here or on Facebook at Connect & Collaborate with ICOSA or join the discussion on Twitter @ICOSAMagazine.
