SACRAMENTO, Calif. — January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. California lawmakers and even former victims gathered at the Capitol to highlight the issue.
"The awareness of everybody understanding that it does happen, and it happens a lot," said Jenna McKaye, human trafficking survivor.
McKaye said she told her story of surviving human trafficking for two main reasons.
"The education piece, how important it is for people to be trained on it, and then the other piece of it is to hopefully offer hope to those that have survived this," said McKaye. "There is help out there, and you can overcome and live a successful life after that kind of trauma."
She spoke about the need for more training on how to respond in California. Lawmakers also emphasized the role law enforcement and truck drivers can play as the eyes and ears on the road.
"To make sure that everybody recognizes and has the awareness to say, 'If you see something, say something,'" said state Senator Shannon Grove (R-Bakersfield)
More than one million truck drivers have been trained on how to spot and prevent human trafficking. They also have stickers on their trucks to help possible victims.
"If a victim of human trafficking is in a truck stop, they can look at this truck and know that's a friendly safe place to go and get help," said Grove.
Lawmakers also had an urgent message for parents: keep track of what your child is doing online.
"This is one of the most horrific crimes in our world today, and so it's to make people of aware of it. It's to educate your children. It's to make sure that you're monitoring what's going on on your children's Instagram and Facebook pages and the social mediate that they engage in, who they're in contact with."
McKaye said it's not enough to just hold these public events each January. She wants others to take action.
"To get involved with organizations that are doing the boots on the ground work, to request community events and trainings for your local law enforcement, hospitals and other first responders and to get into your schools and talk to your kids. So, the action piece is needed, that's what the hope is," said McKaye.
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