In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, Lisa did a read-aloud to our local toddlers group at the Lexington Public Library. Lisa is an Oglalla Sioux tribal member and she loves children. Stacey, while in the background capturing the moments to share here, also made the Fry Bread! Our friend group has decided to once again adopt a family for Christmas. Stacey and I will be using our own money this year to join them and adopt a Native American family in Lincoln, NE. We are so blessed to have friends who have giving hearts.
We were happy to participate in a local fundraiser where local businesses hosted a classroom that helped with a variety of projects. In our case, we hosted a 2nd-grade class that helped make Thank You cards. And believe me, we have a whole lot of reasons to write Thank You cards! We had fun helping the children make the cards and the hand collage featured above by dipping their little hands in acrylic paint. The students’ efforts earned a donation to Lexington Public Schools.
In closing, we want to remind our readers that some of the most vulnerable people who are targeted and victimized are children in foster care. We did a small deed to help children living in foster care because they matter too!
We delivered goodie bags for 37 children who were reunited for a long weekend here in Central Nebraska by a non-profit Camp Catch-Up. While visiting the siblings during their stay at Camp Comeaca, we encountered kids painting their faces, playing ball, and being busy on their devices. Typical kid activity, what a treasure.
A set of twins, one living in Western Nebraska and the other living in the Northeast part of Nebraska, were selected to lead us through the camp. They told us that the only time they get to see each other is during the camps. Both will be graduating from high school this year and have plans to work and pursue a higher education. They will have two more opportunities to attend Camp Catch-up before transitioning from foster care into adulthood. That transition period is a critical time for many, to help they recieved a small anti-trafficking toolkit in their goodie bags. a few of the items included in the toolkits were grooming tactics and ways to report.
Human trafficking is a situation in which an individual is compelled to work or engage in commercial sex through the use of force, fraud or coercion. If the individual is under the age of 18 and engaging in commercial sex they are experiencing trafficking regardless of whether force, fraud, or coercion is also taking place.
Call the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free hotline at 1-888-373-7888: Anti-Trafficking Hotline Advocates are available 24/7 to take reports of potential human trafficking.
Text the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 233733. Message and data rates may apply.
Submit a tip online through the anonymous online reporting form below.However, please note that if the situation is urgent or occurred within the last 24 hours we would encourage you to call, text or chat.
A day to remember an Indigenous loved one who has gone missing or been murdered.
The MMIP crisis highlights the disproportionately high rates of violence, missing persons cases, and murders experienced by Native Americans and Alaska Natives compared to the overall population. Factors contributing to this crisis include historical government policies, land seizures, and ongoing violence within Indigenous communities.
Efforts are underway to address the MMIP crisis, including improved data collection, increased funding for investigations and victim services, and raising awareness about the issue. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is committed to working with Tribal nations to improve the federal response to MMIP and bring justice to victims and their families.
Last week we had the privilege to share Anti-Trafficking toolkits to therapist from multiple states, who joined in via Microsoft Teams.
Each received a toolbox that included;
Screening tools for both adults and youths. The screeners can be used in their private practices with no additional fee to the client. Current statistics and vulnerable populations were included along with free online safety videos for children.
Two issues that we researched and presented were AI and its affects on Human Trafficking, and Pornography’s role in Human Trafficking.
Please share with us what you know about AI related to Human Trafficking or Pornography’s role in Human Trafficking. We are always open to learning more.
January is Human Trafficking Awareness month – Wear blue to show your support.
Yesterday we were welcomed by the Lexington, NE. Rotary Club to start a discussion on a variety of ways someone can be recruited and then exploited in the crime of Human Sex Trafficking. There are more than 8 intersections, we are well aware of within Human Trafficking but due to time constraints we had to limit the intersections. Several of the club members had been previously educated on the issue and others had already made the commitment to “Becoming Part Of The Solution”.
You can make a commitment to “Becoming Part Of The Solution” as well by doing the following;
Increase awareness and cultural sensitivity in Health Care and Behavioral Health Care practices, advocate for the implementation of lessons to be delivered to students in all levels of education and religious communities. Help to educate community members of all ages in public spaces.
Please read Stacey’s gratitude post and know that we are doing what we can to help in the fight to reduce this violent crime.
“Gratitude: I’m grateful for our partnership at Traffic Stop. Traffic stop wouldn’t exist without Lisa. For our volunteers and community supporters making the fundraising efforts successful! For our husbands and family who offered encouragement and a safe place to land after a hard day. For the challenges we faced and opportunities to stretch/grow. For adversity and discourages -they was humbling and enabled us to witness how broken our culture is when it comes to sexuality, power, and control. For my dog who greeted me everyday with unconditional love and slobbery kisses. For the love of our children and Lisa’s grands and my future grands -the reason we bring this message of prevention and awareness in hopes they never experience this trauma. For all people in this world who have suffered, thank you for showing the way toward healing.”
We are blessed to be able to announce that we will be launching our Pilot Human Trafficking Prevention Program this week. It has been an adventure reaching our goal and we are looking forward to keeping children safe.
We want to give a huge THANK YOU to all the people who support us and believe in Human Trafficking education and prevention.
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
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.
Raising Awareness about Human Trafficking 