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“It only happens in larger towns and cities,” is just one of many misconceptions when it comes to human trafficking, according to Pam Strickland, founder of NC Stop Human Trafficking, a Greenville-based nonprofit. Other misconceptions include it only happens overseas, it might be happening here, but only to immigrants, it only happens to girls, or they are just child prostitutes. 

“One of the most common is talk of the ‘white van’ driving through a neighborhood, trying to snatch up kids, or cruising parking lots looking for children, both of which are oftentimes depicted in movies. But in reality, it rarely happens that way. So, unfortunately those who think that way may be protecting their children from the wrong things. Since COVID, an incredible number of our kids are getting targeted online and through social media. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation reported in 2024 that over 28,000 CyberTips were received in North Carolina.”

Founded in 2010, the mission of NC Stop Human Trafficking is to bring awareness, action, and ultimate end to human trafficking in North Carolina. A daunting challenge that will require the help of everyone. Strickland said they address the problem through training, education, coalition building, policy, and legislation. 

“We offer a lot of training for professional groups that may have first contact with the victims,” said Strickland. “These include law enforcement, health and mental care providers, social workers, and school staff. We also provide training to civil groups and churches. Victims rarely self-identify, so it is important for those who are likely to come in contact with these individuals to know what to look for.”

Strickland said coalition building is another key component of their work. In 2016 they started the Pitt County Coalition Against Human Trafficking. More recently they created a Pitt County Human Trafficking Multidisciplinary Team, to directly address those who are coming out of a trafficking situation. “We are also in the process of forming a similar team in Beaufort County to address the problem,” said Strickland. “Darrell Ainge, who is from Washington and is one of our project coordinators, is currently fostering relationships with organizations that could be a point of entry for a survivor or could offer direct services.”

One agency that is already onboard is Open Door Women’s Shelter. “As a shelter, we are serving some of the most vulnerable in our community,” said Laurie Stewart, director of Open Door. “So it is important that we are educated about the signs of someone who might be a victim of trafficking and what trafficking looks like in our region. Someone experiencing homelessness is likely experiencing desperation and when desperate they are vulnerable, making them targets of traffickers. Currently, we have a leaflet, which describes the signs of human trafficking posted in our office for staff and volunteers to see. We plan to have our case manager join the multidisciplinary team.”

Strickland said the nagging question from everyone is how many and what is the prevalence, particularly here in eastern North Carolina. Numbers, she pointed out, are currently hard to come by.

“We know it is an issue in Beaufort, Pitt, and some of the other surrounding counties based on our work and what we know,” said Strickland. “We see the ads online, the number of illicit massage parlors in strip malls. Agriculture is a big industry in our area and across the state and labor trafficking is becoming a huge concern as well.”

Strickland said the issue in North Carolina is that it does not have a central database for human tracking statistics as no one agency or organization is collecting the data. So the numbers for North Carolina are based solely on the number of calls that have been received at the Human Trafficking Hotline. “According to the hotline statistics, North Carolina ranks ninth when it comes to the number of calls received,” said Strickland. “We certainly aren’t proud that we are number nine in the country based on the volume of calls. However, what that tells us is that people are becoming more educated, we have created more awareness about the problem, and our work is having an impact in some way. This is why it is so important for us to create these human trafficking multidisciplinary teams which will be able to get the numbers we need to provide a clearer picture of what we are dealing with and the magnitude of the problem.”

Daughter of Worth, a Greenville-based nonprofit, was founded by Liz Liles in 2015 and was created to provide trauma-informed, comprehensive services for girls and women in North Carolina and across the country who are victims of violence, specifically human trafficking. Through prevention education, safety planning, assisting with safe exits, documentation recovery, case management, advocacy, emergency support, relocation services, care coordination, and trauma-informed mental health services. Daughters of Worth directly assists survivors of trafficking in courageously exiting their traffickers and finding the support and services they need to heal and begin their new journey in life. 

“We are dealing with a $150 billion industry, built on victimization, violation, and the exploitation of the most vulnerable in our communities,” said Liles. “The average age of the victims is 12 to 14 years of age. And 45% of these kiddos are trafficked by familial trafficking. We deal firsthand with girls who have been sold out for $20 and a pack of cigarettes or for a pizza and drugs.” 

Liles said they know there is a problem in Pitt and Beaufort County based on the number of calls that they have received from across the state. “Last year we served 21 counties in North Carolina,” said Liles. “And the majority of the calls we received came from Beaufort and Pitt counties.”

Dr. Rhonda Cardinale provides child and family counseling services here in Washington. She deals first-hand with the trauma associated with human trafficking. “I can’t say that I see a lot of cases, but the numbers do seem to be on the rise,” said Cardinale. “The stories I do hear are heartbreaking. In one instance, a caregiver placed a teenager in a hotel room and people would pay money or exchange drugs to abuse the child in some way. Someone this child trusts that has opened the door into that world. Imagine how traumatizing it is for this individual and others.”

Cardinale said it is difficult for victims of abuse and human trafficking to come forward and report what has happened to law enforcement. “The evaluation is traumatizing in itself, particularly for young children,” said Cardinale. “Then there is the issue of self-blame and guilt. If they hadn’t done a certain thing might, it not have happened to them? Their values get misconstrued about what is a healthy relationship and healthy interaction.”

Cardinale said in the end the goal is to hopefully get the victims to a point where it is not impacting their day-to-day function. “ Just the ability to go back to school or work, and have good, positive, healthy relationships is our ultimate goal,” said Cardinale. “To feel a sense of power and the ability to move forward from it.”

“This is one of those things we don’t like to think about,” added Cardinale. “We don’t like to think it might be happening to a kid or an adult we may know. The public needs to be aware of it, what to look for, and what to do if they think someone is in danger. That would be a huge step.”

NC Stop Human Trafficking

www.ncstophumantrafficking.org

252-814-6357

 

Daughters of Worth

www.daughtersofworth.org

252-295-7517