Do you feel safe?  If you are victim of sexual abuse or know a victim that is in crisis, we encourage you to call Townhall II's hotline at 330-678- (HELP 4357) for assistance. Crisis counselors are there to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Sadly, Human Trafficking is an issue that is becoming more prevalent throughout America. Many misconceptions exist about Human Trafficking. Some of which include:

                                        - Human Trafficking only exists only in big cities

                                        - Human Trafficking isn't as prevalent as it used to be

All of these misconceptions are wrong. Human Trafficking rears its ugly head in countless corners of America, and does not discriminate between urban vs rural. In fact, Human Trafficking has become more of a problem in Ohio in recent years. 

Our goal at Project Promise is to bring awareness to human trafficking in Portage County and promotes legislation to stop it. We work to dispel its myths, and help it's survivors to become empowered once again. 

Project Promise launched an project in April 2022 called Silhouette Voices Heard. This is an art project aimed at  raising awareness about Human Trafficking and dispelling the myths on about it. The goal of Silhouette Voices Heard is to inspire our community to take action against Human Trafficking and help eradicate it from the streets of Portage County. 

We need volunteers to help assemble this art exhibit that will travel throughout Portage County. Please contact us at portageprojectpromise@gmail.com to sign up, or request more information.

Check out some of the facts and statistics below to gain a better understanding on Human Trafficking, and how it impacts our community. 

In 2019 - 2020, Ohio was ranked 14 out of 50 states for active criminal human trafficking cases, with 86% of it's victims being minors.  One reason that Ohio is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking is the easy access to five major highways connecting other states and Canada.   

Every year, 1 to 2 million men women and children become victims of human trafficking. Traffickers make anywhere between $5,000 to 50,000 per person trafficked depending on age and location. Traffickers exploit their victim's vulnerabilities often baiting them with drugs and alcohol. Many communities believe it is a big city problem and it doesn't happen here. 

As you will see below Portage county is not immune to the human trafficking epidemic.  These are just some of the cases in local medias spotlight. 

Summit, Portage investigation nets 17 arrests of men, human trafficking victims

Kent, Streetsboro police help arrest human traffickers

Ravenna Man among 16 arrested in child sex trafficking sting

Sex offender released in Portage County

Survivors

We believe survivors are key actors in the fight against human trafficking, focusing on the crucial role they play in spreading awareness and establishing effective measures in prevention. If you are a survivor of human trafficking and wish to give voice to your plight please join us in stomping out this horrific crime in Portage County, Ohio, and America.

Community 

You can become a helpful hand to a victim of human trafficking by recognizing the situation.  Attend one of our awareness events to learn the warning signs. Assist us in legislation reform and going after those businesses that provide a den to perpetrators who traffic humans.  Project Promise wants to be in a position to provide a foundation in rebuilding survivors' lives through mentoring programs, connecting them to resources,  providing a bridge of healing for families, and distributing personal care items.  There are truly so many ways you can help- and of course you can join us in spreading awareness. 

Business

Sponsor an event, donate goods/ services or a venue for our guest speaker series. Help us defray cost of copying literature. Learn more about Labor trafficking and report those culpable. 

Businesses can become a part of saving a life while making their community safer. 

Labor trafficking is the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for labor or services, through the use of force, fraud, or coercion for the purposes of subjection to involuntary servitude, peonage, debt bondage, or slavery, (22 USC § 7102). 

References

* University of Cincinnati study published 2020

* Definitions of human trafficking and labor trafficking were provided by the National Human Trafficking Hotline