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Representatives from several Beaufort County organizations and agencies came together on Wednesday, April 16, as part of the newly formed Human Trafficking Multidisciplinary Team. For the last several months, Darrell Ange, project coordinator with NC Stop Human Trafficking, a Greenville-based nonprofit, has been fostering relationships with these groups.

“Today, we were able to bring multiple disciplines to the table,” said Ange. “Each one of these organizations may be the first point of contact for a victim or survivor of human trafficking. We discussed what we call the ‘warm handoff’ to ensure there is no gap in the care that these individuals receive. If there is no continual motion of care, we will lose them, and they will go back. It will take a lot of folks collaboratively working together to ensure that doesn’t happen.”

Members of the interdisciplinary team included representatives from Agape, Ruth’s House, IBX Legal Services, the District Attorney’s office, Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, Washington Police Department, NC Stop Human Trafficking and Daughters of Worth. Open Door Women’s Shelter has also committed to being a part of the team, but was unable to attend.

“Any time a passionate group of energized people come together in the same space with a unified purpose and goal, it is encouraging for all of us,” said Liz Liles, founder of Daughters of Worth, a Greenville-based nonprofit. ”One of the biggest takeaways for me was that all of the representatives from these various agencies and organizations concurred and were saying the same thing. Human trafficking is a problem, and is happening right here in Beaufort County.”

The other piece, as Liles pointed out, was the consensus that the issue of human trafficking has been around for quite a while, but has been hidden away out of sight in the darkness. “There was a renewed energy and mutual agreement that it is time to bring the darkness into light. To have a real conversation about the actual exploitation that is taking place in Beaufort County and how best to work together to make certain the victims receive the full wraparound services they need, and hold traffickers and perpetrators accountable. I’m excited and grateful to be a part of this team.”

Ange also pointed out that the Multidisciplinary Team will help sway the misconceptions that human trafficking is not a problem.

“No one agency or organization in North Carolina is collecting real data for North Carolina,” said Ange. “The only data we can go off comes from the National Human Trafficking Hotline, based on the number of calls from North Carolina. Through the collaborative efforts of this Multidisciplinary Team in Beaufort County and the one we formed in Pitt County, we will be able to change that narrative and start collecting real data for our area. That data will help us to undo the misconceptions. And when we have those numbers, it will increase our opportunities to obtain funding for the cause. People came here today, not because they had to, but because they wanted to, as they had a real interest in the problem.”

For Pam Strickland, founder of NC Stop Human Trafficking, it was a good start. “I was really pleased with the people who came today and their level of passion and commitment to the issue of human trafficking,” she said. “I was especially pleased that they recognized that human trafficking does happen in Beaufort County and are willing to take the steps to address it. I’m looking forward to working with all of these folks from Beaufort County who are ready to engage and take action in their community. Our hope is to form additional teams around the state.”

The newly formed Human Trafficking Multidisciplinary Team will begin meeting on the third Wednesday of each month.

NC Stop Human Trafficking

www.ncstophumantrafficking.org

252-814-6357

 

Daughters of Worth

www.daughtersofworth.org

252-295-7517