Jerry Redman, CEO of SECONDlife Chattanooga, spoke on human trafficking to the Chattanooga Civitan Club Friday.
photo by Claire Henley
Jerry Redman, CEO of SECONDlife Chattanooga, said Friday the question he often hears is if there is really human sex trafficking in Chattanooga.
Mr. Redman spoke to the Civitan Club to educate on the issue of trafficking—a bigger problem in Tennessee and Hamilton County than many think.
SECONDlife Chattanooga defines human trafficking as “a form of modern-day slavery where people profit from the control and exploitation of others.”
The Trafficking Victims Protection Act passed by Congress in 2000 defines trafficking as the use of force, fraud, or coercion to commercially exploit someone for either sex or labor.
In a 2009-2010 study by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reports counted up 4,000 trafficking victims in the state.
A 2011 survey conducted by the TBI and Vanderbilt University showed 85 percent of all Tennessee counties reported trafficking of adults during 2009 and 2010. During this timeframe, 72 percent of Tennessee counties reported instances of a child being trafficked.
Hamilton County reportedly had 100 cases of adult sex trafficking and more than 25 cases of child sex trafficking from 2009 to 2010.
“This is a serious problem, and it’s a stain on us as a community,” Mr. Redman said.
He said global trafficking brings in $32 billion a year and affects between 27 and 30 million people around the world. The U.S. rakes in $10 billion annually from this crime, meaning it makes 30 percent of the world’s trafficking dollars.
“Sex has always been used commercially. And commercial sex has always been exploited.”
Mr. Redman spoke on SECONDlife Chattanooga and the non-profit organization’s goal to end human sex trafficking in greater Chattanooga. He believes the way to do this is through awareness, action, and collaborative relationships with organizations like the FBI, TBI, and Chattanooga Police Department. He said SECONDlife Chattanooga works heavily with the arts community also to spread awareness.
Studies show over 300,000 children in the U.S. are at risk for sexual exploitation and slavery every year. Every two minutes in the U.S. a child is reportedly trafficked for sexual exploitation.
According to SECONDlife Chattanooga, “Human traffickers have targeted Tennessee because of its extensive interstate system; heavy gang activity in Memphis and Nashville; large flow of tourists through Knoxville, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge; and Chattanooga’s close proximity to the I-75 corridor from Atlanta.”
Part of the SECONDlife’s mission is to coordinate and deliver services for trafficking survivors. The organization obtained two houses that, once made operational, will give survivors a place to live for a year and receive everything they need—from healthcare to job training.
Mr. Redman said, “Most trafficking victims are trafficked by someone they know.”
In light of this, he wants Hamilton County Schools to allow the conversation about human trafficking so that teachers, administrators, and coaches can be trained on what to look for.
“We cannot respond to a crime we don’t recognize,” he said.
He said SECONDlife Chattanooga has helped put 33 trafficking specific laws “in the books” since 2011, but that the organization has “just scratched the surface” in terms of legislative needs.
Nevertheless, Mr. Redman hopes Chattanooga—“the best small city in the U.S.”—can lead the way over the next 50 years to shutting trafficking down in the country.
To report trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking hotline at 1-888-3737-888; or call the Tennessee Trafficking hotline at 1-855-55-TNHTH