VISTA: Group takes stand against human trafficking

By Elena Cristiano - For the North County Times | Posted: Saturday, January 9, 2010 6:50 pm

[Photo] A few hundred people take part in the "Walk for Awareness" Saturday, part of the Vista Soroptimists' third annual "National Human Trafficking Awareness Day" event in Vista. (Photo by Don Boomer - Staff photographer)

A few hundred North County residents took to the streets of downtown Vista on Saturday afternoon for a one-mile "Walk for Awareness" in recognition of the United States Senate's National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, which is Monday.

The Vista event ---- which included a gathering at the corner of Indiana and Main Streets with music, booths and guest speakers ---- was a strange sight for some passersby, who seemed surprised so many local residents turned out for the cause.

"Human trafficking, really?," asked Betsy Samuels of Vista as she slowed down her car to read the signs carried by the walkers, including one that said "Human Trafficking is Modern Day Slavery!"

Dave Hall of Escondido joined his daughter for the walk and said he too was initially surprised by the notion that human trafficking is a local issue.

"I had always thought of it as something that happened somewhere else, far away," said Hall. "But here it is, here in North County."

Members of Soroptimist International of Vista, which sponsored the event, are trying to combat the idea that human trafficking ---- defined in this case as the sale, transport and profit from human beings who are forced to work through prostitution ---- is something that occurs elsewhere, not in the United States.

"It is imperative that we here in San Diego realize it's not a global problem, it's right under our noses," said guest speaker Kimberly Hunt, a Channel 10 News anchor who has done several stories on the subject over the last 18 months. "The border from Mexico is easy access and helping exacerbate the situation."

Hunt said that she had personally seen the evidence when she toured a small canyon in Carlsbad with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in 2009.

"There I was looking up at a ridge of multimillion dollar homes, and right below are the remnants of an open-air brothel that agents were able to bust," said Hunt. "The last of the three traffickers ---- a brutal, evil ... sex trafficker that did despicable things to these women ---- was convicted yesterday."

Vista City Councilman Steve Gronke said Saturday that better legislation, and tougher prosecution and sentencing, is the next step in fighting the problem.

"We need to hit these people in their wallets and take away their freedom, " said Gronke. "That's the message we want to send."

Saturday's gathering featured live music, t-shirts for sale, and several booths where information cards, emergency phone numbers and fliers, and contact information for support organizations were distributed.

According to organizer Kay Van Nevel of Vista "an event of this size and magnitude" takes team work. She said the gathering was made possible by the North County Anti-Human Trafficking Collaborative.

The collaborative includes members from the Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition; Soroptimist International of Oceanside, Carlsbad, Poway & Rancho Bernardo, Fallbrook, and North Coast San Diego; Operation Hope, Girls Incorporated of San Diego County, San Diego County Sheriff's Department, Vista Unified School District, Boys and Girls Club of Vista, Director of Legislation for California Concerned Women of America (CWA), City of Vista, Congressman Darrell Issa's office, Salvation Army, Not For Sale Campaign, Vista Community Clinic, Women's Resource Center, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Child Protective Services and the San Diego County District Attorney's Office..

The group meets every three months to tackle the issue. For more information ,contact Van Nevel at kgvn@cox.net

Posted in Vista on Saturday, January 9, 2010 6:50 pm Updated: 7:02 pm.

Share This Story

VISTA: Group takes stand against human trafficking