WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – North Carolina is ranked number 9 for Human Trafficking in the country.
Rural areas, like the southeastern region of the state, is used by exploiters to hide victims. Coastal Towns are also a hot spot for human trafficking.
Standing Against Trafficking USA, an organization that helps victims, is bring attention to an issue that has been around for years. The group is holding a 2-day conference event. On Thursday night, the founder of the organization spoke to the community in Leland at Crosswinds Church. She says there are many layers to the issues.
“This conference is about prevention and about demand reduction. There is complexed trauma and PTSD that woman go through because of abuse at a very young age,” said Allysa Mckenzie.
Pat Weimer was a mother to a child who was a victim of human trafficking. Around the time her daughter went to college, she fell into a different lifestyle that she couldn’t have predicted.
She says her daughter was first introduced to the culture in 2017 while at a family friend’s house, they trusted at the time.
They got her daughter the needed help, but it was an uphill battle. Weimer says Tiffany was stuck in a vicious cycle.
“I was very angry, very concerned. I think she trusted people too much and thought they were not going to hurt her. She thought these people loved her,” shares Weimer.
Weimer says Tiffany was pregnant with a man who pulled her into the lifestyle.
Around 23 weeks into the pregnancy, she went to the hospital for an illness that was affecting the baby. Weimer says her daughter went into a coma and never woke up. Doctors were able to save Weimer’s first grandchild.
It’s been one year since the death of Tiffany. Weimer finds strength in her grandson. The organization also helped this mom through the difficult time. She eventually joined the cause to raise awareness so no one else experiences her battles.
McKenzie says it will take a large effort from the community and those in the legal process to make a significant change in the Human Trafficking world.
“It’s going to take all of us to start moving forward together. A lot of time when D.A. or law enforcement are trying to do interviews, they get so confused because they are so intimidated that they can’t come up with the questions. So that’s when we come in,” said McKenzie.
Weimer is grateful that resources will be available to others, something she wishes could have helped her daughter.
“I amazed at the resources and care. I wish they had this a long time ago because things may have been different,” said Weimer.
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