Organizers say their funds will help fund raids at brothels, like the ones in Kansas City, Mo. and Tulsa, Ok.
9/28/2009
(JOPLIN, Missouri) Two hundred miles away, it is a sunny, cool, September afternoon.
Two hundred miles away, they are free, healthy, and relatively wealthy.
Two hundred miles away, they are not at a brothel.
Two hundred miles away, we are in Joplin, Missouri.
ON SUNDAY, in Joplin, 80+ people gathered at the "Stop Child Trafficking Now Rally" held in Landreth Park.
In 39 cities and at 60 universities across the United States, people gathered to walk to end this problem in the United States. An estimated 17,000 kids each year are pulled into prostitution each year in this country. The closest brothels, Lola Castillo, Joplin SCTNow Ambassador says, are in Kansas City, Missouri and Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The problem, made increasingly possible with the evolution of the internet, has been largely ignored in this country, even though it has been persistent in our inner-cities and spread by the internet.
The Rally's Purpose
Funding. Joplin's rally raised $2,300 from 63 walkers.
Sarah Goolsby, a team captain (and TFJ contributor,) says she had planned on organizing the even on her own, but joined on to Castillo's event instead.
Their purpose? First and foremost, they plan to hire former super-cops (Special ops, SWAT, etc) to conduct raids. Then, they plan to, in simple terms, prosecute the hell out of the guys that conduct the prostitution.
Then, they partner with organizations like Pro Alliance in the United States and Rapha House abroad to rehabilitate the girls brought into prostitution.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton sent a letter to the group, commending the group for its efforts.
Goolsby says trafficking "violates every good principle."
The event also included words from Pastor Dan Wermuth and presentation of the national anthem.
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