TrafficStop Being a reader, Teaching

We are proud to announce Travis Wind as Otis Kennedy in the audiobook Traffic Stop: Human Division a novel.

Travis Wind is another of our seasoned voice actors who volunteered to help create the audio version of Traffic Stop: Human Division released 11/2023. When asked why he was interested in being one of the main characters in the book, not to mention the most troubled character he said, “I am willing to lend my talents to this project in advocacy kind of way to reduce sex trafficking”.

After graduating high school in Nebraska, he left for Tinseltown and completed some gigs there. He has offered guidance in the sound room, and he is willing to help with sound engineering another area that he has experience in. We at Traffic Stop are thankful that he found his way back to the Midwest to be with his family Central Nebraska.

Travis in disbelief of what his character Otis Kennedy is capable of;

Otis: (older adult male with gravelly voice) Otis is the antagonist of the story. He is a gruff, prejudiced, entitled, and self-righteous manipulator who is addicted to sex, work, and alcohol. 

Thank you Travis for the long months of late evening recordings. A portion of the book sales goes to funding Anti-Human Trafficking events. If you would like to host an awareness event please contact us at staceyl.cahill@gmail.com

TrafficStop Best work, Teaching

Book Signing Hack

Rocio Casanova Library Children’s Specialist & Jennifer Norton Library Director

Last week we offered a free training on Human Trafficking to 18 individuals who came to meet the “Meet the Author” event at the Lexington Public Library. Not a single book sold but our mission was accomplished for the day; spreading awareness. The audience gave positive feedback and many said that they were going to share what they learned with their friends and families.

So far we have been able to offer trainings and resources to 751 people since Aug 1, 2024. In large part it is due to the people and business in Dawson and Gosper counties in NE who support us.

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Stop the Dam Traffic – 5K and BBQ 8/31/2024

Human Trafficking Drills can help prepare our children to know how to respond if they are approached online.

https://www.knopnews2.com/2024/09/01/stop-dam-traffic-5k-runwalk-raises-awareness-human-trafficking/

Please contact Traffic Stop if you want more information on the Human Trafficking Drill we have created at 308.325.9078 or 308.325.1657 or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Traffic.stop.23

The day started with all volunteers and board members in prayer. The 5K was quick to follow. Please click on the link below to read more about the event.

https://lexch.com/news/local/stop-the-dam-traffic-5k-barbecue-contest-raise-funds-awareness-of-human-trafficking/article_d6145be6-6932-11ef-a21c-a7f3b9fc9748.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawFJhmBleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHatCiA2DBIF_58iR_P96cNm5VFhJE0SY-41tl_QlCd-C9ZSp2GMzrYYuqQ_aem_GsGUjBgMGw7oa2ZdqGM4gQ

After an anti-trafficking presentation for our 5K participants at Canyon Lakes Brewery a new crowd joined us for a Pit Master contest.

The Winners “Ron and David Mayer”, “Central Ne Human Trafficking”, and “Gustavo Ruiz & Gerardo Alonzo” we all in high spirits.

Dawn and Shawn Cromer were our professional level BBQs who served with a full heart and willingness to fight against this crime. One of the best parts of the day was having fun while discussing such a heavy topic.

https://www.samqueandcatering.com

The smiles did not end with champions and full tummies; We had raffle winners too! Here are a few of our winners.

We at TRAFFIC STOP INC. 501(c)(3) have full hearts and are grateful for the support. We WILL see you all next year!

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NE CASA State Conference-Light of Hope

This year we have been invited to train Buffalo, Dawson, Cage, and Senca County’s CASA Volunteers. We have met many people who are making a difference in the lives of children. Today we had the pleasure of sharing a few laughs with https://thekimfoundation.org and https://guardian-light.com. Fun is always welcomed while we are out on the road talking about such a difficult topic.

The Kim Foundation – Mental health advocacy & suicide prevention

The Kim Foundation serves as a supportive resource and compassionate voice for lives touched by mental illness and suicide.

Guardian Light Family Services is lighting the path towards a healthy and positive family lifestyle through exceptional service. Guardian Light Family Services is committed to empowering families towards a safe and nurturing environment.





TrafficStop Teaching

5K and Pit Master Contest – charity event

Traffic Stop is hosting a fund raiser to purchase needed standardized Anti-Human Trafficking material. Please support us by donating or sharing our event details.

Before the fun in the sun begins in 8/31/24 we wanted to raffle a few items, please see below

$5.00 per ticket or $20.00 for 6 tickets

If you would like to participate please PM us here at Traffic Stop and we will get your tickets into the drawing. The winners will be notified on 8/31/24.

Also, a big thank you to Omni Sharp, Tyson Foods, and Prime Edge.

PLEASE SHARE

Follow us on FB and jump into our on-line auction https://www.facebook.com/Traffic.stop.23/

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Stop The Dam Traffic

Dear Sponsor,

In 2023, statistics indicated that 900 known individuals per month were sold and consumed for someone else’s profit in Nebraska alone. Nebraska is currently number 12 in the United States for the per capita number of humans bought and sexually consumed. Furthermore, Lexington is number 5 in the state of Nebraska. These statistics are unacceptable. All people deserve respect and choice. Nebraska is known as The Good Life state. It is anything but good for our young people trapped in mental, emotional, spiritual, sexual, and physical bondage to their trafficker. 

Perpetrators are hunting and snaring our most precious resource for our future…our children. The human trafficking epidemic has worsened with the heightened use of the internet and after extreme isolation during the COVID-19 Pandemic.  

Human Trafficking has evolved from kidnapping and exploitation, and although that continues, our children are less likely to be snatched away. Rather, perpetrators are developing relationships and soliciting these children under our noses unbeknownst to their parents or family, via electronic devices within the victim’s home. 

Traffic Stop is a grassroots non-profit organization. Our purpose is to provide educational training on Human Sex Trafficking and how to prevent it from occurring. 

Adults who cherish children and others who are at risk would benefit from facing the reality of this crime, even though it is a hard topic. 

A few topics covered in our FREE presentations include; 

  • Online Safety
  • Vetting friendships on and offline
  • artificial intelligence and its impact on Trafficking
  • Human Trafficking Drill

We can all learn to talk honestly with children about how to respond when people they do and do not know ask them personal questions, ways to do this are given to any attendee. By teaching safety skills to vulnerable populations we can keep them safer.

Please consider supporting this mission. The money received is dedicated to creating or purchasing a curriculum for Human Trafficking Training. Thank all who are ready to stand together in the fight for our children and our future as a country.

Sincerely,

Traffic Stop, INC. 501(c)(3)

Stacey Cahill & Lisa Molina 

Co-Founders

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Traffic Stop: Human Division – A Fiction Book Review by Deb England, LIMHP

Please call us or email us if you would like a tailored Human Trafficking Presentation for your originization.

Staceyl.cahill@gmail.com

While I usually review non-fiction books, I took the opportunity this time to read and review a fiction book, as it was about human trafficking in Nebraska. I actually met the author, was impressed by her knowledge, expertise, and compassion about addressing human trafficking so was intrigued to pick up the book by Stacey Cahill.

The story is about a family who lives in Nebraska. As the story unfolds, so also does the intricacies of mental health, family dynamics, both healthy and dysfunctional, and issues of trauma, including abuse, neglect, and addiction enter into the plot line. The story involves a multigenerational family over several years, with babies growing into adults, becoming parents and then grandparents. Underneath the family story, with its own conflicts and issues is also a pervasive understory of prostitution and later human trafficking which seems to be perpetuated by well-known and respected members of the community.

So this novel includes many mental health issues, moving into addiction and 12 step programs, and also highlighting the importance of group and individual therapy in different situations, helping those involved move through healing in a more thorough and complete manner. Those “sessions” were handled professionally, as well as presented in a rational and realistic way. The book includes myth, symbolism and metaphor, along with a parallel movement of spirituality, forgiveness and redemption.

While we are not always aware of ways that human trafficking can be present, this novel laid out possibilities to consider. I admire when a new perspective is brought to the forefront, and this book seems to do exactly that. That is why I think it is important for us to be aware and open to learning new information, which prompted me to read this book. A difficult yet very current topic, one that is often ignored, often because we can’t see how it could be happening in rural America, and sometimes because we aren’t ready to accept the reality of human trafficking. But it is happening, which makes this book one I can recommend. Find out more. Protecting our children is a priority and we can’t do that if we turn a blind eye to the ways they are being used and abused.

In addition, the author is also a therapist and an educator about human trafficking in our area and is and has been available to give presentations and further illuminate our knowledge. Only in learning more can we truly be available to reaching out and being aware.

To contact Cahill, her website is http://www.scahilllinebyline.org or email at staceyl.cahill@gmail.com to schedule an event tailored to the group or purchase the novel.

WORKS CITED
Cahill, Stacey L. (2032) Traffic stop: human division. Dorrance Publishing Co., Pittsburg, PA.

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Grant Writing

The next frontier…

Never in a thousand years would I have signed up willingly to write a grant. To be clear, I HATED writing a master’s thesis and am so jealous that budding young therapist are no longer required to do so in order to graduate. What I came to realize this last few days as I am pouring over my passion to STOP TRAFFIC was I had fun researching and creating innovative ideas to influence social change.

In order to travel Nebraska and beyond to educate the masses about human trafficking prevalence and prevention, we need financial support. That is why I have changed my hat and assumed the role of grant writer for the week.

In the research for one grant, I discovered that not only is Lexington the number 5 hot spot in Nebraska,

Nebraska is number 4 most trafficked state in the U.S. of A. https://www.datapandas.org/ranking/human-trafficking-statistics-by-state I don’t know about you, dear reader, but this is absolutely unacceptable! I cannot stand for this and won’t rest until we rank last.

Why in the world is Nebraska (which doesn’t have the population of California or New York) higher per capita? I have some theories. Please share yours. 

These are my thoughts; Nebraska is NICE. We teach our sons and daughters manners. We do not teach our children the glorious art of saying “No.” We encourage our children to disregard their personal boundaries by saying things like this; “Go to hug Aunt Bertha” even if the child obviously doesn’t want to because she has a snaggle tooth and a large growth on her cheek, not to mention her coffee breath would kill Goliath. The Nebraska child is taught to disregard their inner voice and ability to trust who is safe and who is not because we adults don’t want to offend Aunt Bertha. We teach our children not to hurt other’s feelings and to go above and beyond for others because that is the “right way” to be.

We assume we are safe because this is the GOOD LIFE. We assume nothing happens here, especially nothing as horrific as human trafficking.

I identify as a Christian and Jesus is my BFF. In fact, I want to be more like Jesus. Jesus stood for the downtrodden. He had boundaries and said ‘no.’ He was kind and loving to all, but firm when people were hurtful toward others in any sin. He said, ‘Let the children come to me and do not hinder them.’ He believed that children are our future and protected their innocent hearts. Jesus knew the world and some people in it had evil intentions. He knew horrific things happened, just read any book of the Bible to support there was human trafficking 2000 years ago and beyond, dating to the beginning of human- kind time.

When it comes to human sex trafficking and labor trafficking, could Nebraskans be more like Jesus? Please leave your comments below, I look forward to dialog with you. 

– Stacey Cahill