One More Child leadership, staff, and advocates traveled to Tallahassee for our annual ‘Traffick Stop’ event to meet with legislators and government officials on anti-trafficking efforts and policy in the state of Florida. The Traffick Stop campaign aims to bring awareness to the realities of human trafficking, build partnerships with legislators, government officials, and advocates in this fight, and discuss solutions to eradicate human trafficking and support survivors.
New Attorney General, Same Mission
While in Tallahassee for our annual Traffick Stop campaign, One More Child leadership, supporters, and members of our anti-trafficking team had the opportunity to attend the swearing-in ceremony for Florida’s new Attorney General James Uthmeier at the Historic Capitol.
For the past few years, One More Child has had a strong partnership in the fight against human trafficking with the Attorney General’s office under the leadership of newly appointed U.S. Senator Ashley Moody. We look forward to continuing this partnership under Attorney General Uthmeier’s leadership as we serve Florida’s vulnerable children together.
Productive Meetings with Legislators
As a part of our Traffick Stop campaign, we reached out to state legislators to meet with them and discuss how One More Child can serve as a partner and resource as we work together to serve vulnerable children in Florida. Over the course of two days, One More Child leadership, staff, and advocates had over 40 meetings with legislative leaders and/or members of their staff.
During these meetings, we had the opportunity to share One More Child’s extensive 120-year history in serving vulnerable children and details of our evidence-based, trauma-informed anti-trafficking program. In these meetings, legislators had the chance to ask questions about One More Child’s work and the reality of trafficking in Florida, which led to discussions about how Florida can advance its anti-trafficking efforts to better prosecute perpetrators of exploitation and provide help to trafficking survivors.
Our team connected with our close partners: Erik Dellenback, Executive Director of Hope Florida & the Governor’s Liaison for Faith and Community, Sen. Colleen Burton, and Rep. Jennifer Canady. We also had the privilege to meet with other legislative leaders including, Senate President Ben Albritton, Senate Majority Leader Jim Boyd, and more than 40 other legislators.
Leaders Join Together in One More Child’s ‘Traffick Stop’ Press Conference
Every year, One More Child holds a ‘Traffick Stop’ press conference to raise awareness of the horrors of human trafficking and the pressing need to respond and work to eradicate this heinous crime.
This year, legislative leaders and government officials Erik Dellenbeck, Executive Director of Hope Florida & the Governor’s Liaison for Faith and Community, Sen. Colleen Burton, Rep. Jennifer Canady, Leon County Undersheriff Ron Cave, and Leon County Detective Ciara Mercado offered their voices of support and partnership in this press conference. Rep. Shane Abbott, Rep. Danny Nix Jr., former Sen. Kelli Stargel, Judge John Stargel, board member Scott Cadwell, advocate Amy Cadwell, and advocates Paul and Toni Azinger also attended the press conference in a show of support. Representing One More Child at the press conference was Dr. Jerry Haag, President and CEO, Stephen Robert, COO, Jodi Domangue, Vice President of Program Operations and Public Policy, and Stacie Ham, Survivor Leader/Mentor.
Here are some key quotes from the press conference that exemplify the mission and importance of the fight against human trafficking:
“Human trafficking is not a problem to be managed. Human trafficking is an evil that must be eradicated. But in order to accomplish this goal, we are all going to have to come together because we can accomplish together what we cannot do individually.”
—Dr. Jerry Haag, President and CEO, One More Child
“The truth is, in Florida—and I’ve said this 100 times—we don’t have a resource problem in Florida. We do sometimes have a connectivity problem… I look forward to working with One More Child and Dr. Haag’s leadership to walk through how we can unify as a state, how we can do more to stand in the gap for these most vulnerable, because he is right, we have got to move towards the eradication of trafficking.”
—Erik Dellenbeck, Executive Director of Hope Florida & the Governor’s Liaison for Faith and Community
“In the state of Florida, we have children, we have girls, we have boys who are trafficked. We have children who are used by people and they do them great harm. We’re very fortunate that we have One More Child—we are blessed to have One More Child and other organizations in our state that work, not just to protect those children, but when they are victims, to care for them.”
—Sen. Colleen Burton (R-Winter Haven)
“As a legislature, we remain committed to the victims of trafficking, to bringing justice to the traffickers, and bringing help to those who are harmed… we are grateful to One More Child and other organizations that lead this fight, working alongside us to help survivors. This is not a fight we are going to lose—there is too much at stake. So, we stand together in support of victims and in solving the scourge of the evil of human trafficking.”
—Rep. Jennifer Canady (R-Lakeland)
“The types of trauma that [trafficking victims] go through is completely incomparable and we rely heavily on organizations such as yourselves to help us overcome. Part of the work we do is investigating these crimes, but it’s really getting them out of these situations, staying out of these situations, and helping them to become a good citizen in society.”
—Leon County Detective Ciara Mercado
“At the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, we have an affirmation that says ‘all-in.’ And essentially what this means is that we recognize, in our community, and certainly throughout the state, we can’t have a substantial impact on crime without the impact and the assistance of everybody. And organizations such as this are so important because we recognize, it’s not just about arresting people, but also addressing the long-term issues of the victims.”
—Leon County Undersheriff Ron Cave
“Florida has long been recognized as a leader in this fight, but our job is nowhere near being done… [The Human Trafficking Reduction Act] will declare that Florida is not a state where we tolerate the buying of human beings. We must allocate more resources to One More Child so that survivors actually have a hope for healing and that they are able to have dream-worthy lives by receiving evidence-based, victim-centered services that will change their trajectory.”
—Jodi Domangue, Vice President of Program Operations and Public Policy, One More Child
“I’ve often been asked, many times, why as a survivor of human trafficking do I choose to use my experience and to work with One More Child. What I can tell you is, it’s not only because of the mission, but it’s these two important words: one more. I was that one more. I was the one more child that needed somebody to run to, to walk alongside, and to advocate that I deserved so much better in this life. I was worth fighting for.”
—Stacie Ham, Survivor Leader/Mentor, One More Child
“We have the ability to step up and step into the lives of the most vulnerable. That’s exactly what One More Child has been doing and that’s what we’re going to continue to do, because no child should ever have to experience sexual exploitation. It takes all of us—it takes leaders, legislators, law enforcement, advocates, and organizations like One More Child working together. Working together to change the story of one more child, to change the story of one more teenager, to change the story of one more young adult. So, let’s keep going, let’s keep fighting, and let’s forge ahead.”
—Stephen Robert, COO, One More Child
“Human trafficking is not a problem to be managed. Human trafficking is an evil that must be eradicated. But in order to accomplish this goal, we are all going to have to come together because we can accomplish together what we cannot do individually.”
—Dr. Jerry Haag, President and CEO, One More Child
“The truth is, in Florida—and I’ve said this 100 times—we don’t have a resource problem in Florida. We do sometimes have a connectivity problem… I look forward to working with One More Child and Dr. Haag’s leadership to walk through how we can unify as a state, how we can do more to stand in the gap for these most vulnerable, because he is right, we have got to move towards the eradication of trafficking.”
—Erik Dellenbeck, Executive Director of Hope Florida & the Governor’s Liaison for Faith and Community
“In the state of Florida, we have children, we have girls, we have boys who are trafficked. We have children who are used by people and they do them great harm. We’re very fortunate that we have One More Child—we are blessed to have One More Child and other organizations in our state that work, not just to protect those children, but when they are victims, to care for them.”
—Sen. Colleen Burton (R-Winter Haven)
“As a legislature, we remain committed to the victims of trafficking, to bringing justice to the traffickers, and bringing help to those who are harmed… we are grateful to One More Child and other organizations that lead this fight, working alongside us to help survivors. This is not a fight we are going to lose—there is too much at stake. So, we stand together in support of victims and in solving the scourge of the evil of human trafficking.”
—Rep. Jennifer Canady (R-Lakeland)
“The types of trauma that [trafficking victims] go through is completely incomparable and we rely heavily on organizations such as yourselves to help us overcome. Part of the work we do is investigating these crimes, but it’s really getting them out of these situations, staying out of these situations, and helping them to become a good citizen in society.”
—Leon County Detective Ciara Mercado
“At the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, we have an affirmation that says ‘all-in.’ And essentially what this means is that we recognize, in our community, and certainly throughout the state, we can’t have a substantial impact on crime without the impact and the assistance of everybody. And organizations such as this are so important because we recognize, it’s not just about arresting people, but also addressing the long-term issues of the victims.”
—Leon County Undersheriff Ron Cave
“Florida has long been recognized as a leader in this fight, but our job is nowhere near being done… [The Human Trafficking Reduction Act] will declare that Florida is not a state where we tolerate the buying of human beings. We must allocate more resources to One More Child so that survivors actually have a hope for healing and that they are able to have dream-worthy lives by receiving evidence-based, victim-centered services that will change their trajectory.”
—Jodi Domangue, Vice President of Program Operations and Public Policy, One More Child
“I’ve often been asked, many times, why as a survivor of human trafficking do I choose to use my experience and to work with One More Child. What I can tell you is, it’s not only because of the mission, but it’s these two important words: one more. I was that one more. I was the one more child that needed somebody to run to, to walk alongside, and to advocate that I deserved so much better in this life. I was worth fighting for.”
—Stacie Ham, Survivor Leader/Mentor, One More Child
“We have the ability to step up and step into the lives of the most vulnerable. That’s exactly what One More Child has been doing and that’s what we’re going to continue to do, because no child should ever have to experience sexual exploitation. It takes all of us—it takes leaders, legislators, law enforcement, advocates, and organizations like One More Child working together. Working together to change the story of one more child, to change the story of one more teenager, to change the story of one more young adult. So, let’s keep going, let’s keep fighting, and let’s forge ahead.”
—Stephen Robert, COO, One More Child
