Anti-Human Trafficking

About Mid-­Atlantic Regional Anti-Human Trafficking

Mid-Atlantic Region
Anti-Human Trafficking Ministry
2024-2026 Vision

Revised: February 24, 2022,  February 15, 2023,
February 7, 2024

Anti-Human Trafficking has been a ministry of the Mid-Atlantic Region since 2014 and for some Lighthouses before then. The focus at the Regional, Area, and Lighthouse levels, takes many forms, with an emphasis on prayer stressing the Aglow International Monthly Global Anti-Human Trafficking Prayer Targets. Activities concentrate on increasing public awareness of human trafficking, curtailing, and preventing trafficking. There have been workshops, parades, visits, information sharing, billboards; prayer calls, and walks and drives, filling and giving backpacks, volunteering with service providers, use of websites, Facebook, and other social and traditional media, and, yes, Zoom Rooms as we progressed through the pandemic.

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The Anti-Human Trafficking portion of the September Aglow Global Prayer Targets are below:

Anti-Human Trafficking

Around the globe, an estimated 27 million people are exploited for labor, services, and commercial sex. Traffickers prey on some of the world’s most marginalized and vulnerable individuals. We, as the Ecclesia, declare, “NO!” to such abuse.

  • Declare that exploitation of vulnerable people in your nation is exposed and stopped.
  • Ask Holy Spirit to show you how you may help people in your community who have been abused or are vulnerable to trafficking.
  • Declare, “Freedom!” by the power of the Cross in the Name of Jesus Who has come to set people free.
  • More information

Below is information regarding recently released resources to recognize and prevent online child exploitation. We can put feet on the above prayers by getting the following information in the hands of parents, pastors, educators, any and everyone who comes in contact with children. Please pass on through area teams, lighthouses and others!!!

Understanding the Basics of Human Trafficking
Faith-Based and Volunteer Partnership Resources
DHS Marks Back to School Season with New Resources for Schools, Educators to Recognize and Prevent Online Child Exploitation
Human Trafficking Webinar Series - Building a Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Program: Best Practices for Schools

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Caring for the Whole Person

Physically, Emotionally, and Spiritually

Welcome to Restoration One Ninety-Nine (R1:99). Whether you are an advocate who wants to be part of the solution to end sex trafficking, or as a survivor who wants healing from the hurt and trauma that you have suffered, it is our hope that you will find what you are seeking here at R1:99.

Candace L. Wheeler, LPC, CDBT, NCC
Founder and Executive Director

Margot Miller, Board Chair
Aglow Mid-Atlantic Region*

Restoration One Ninety-Nine has three main focus areas:

1) Clinical Counseling
2) Economic Empowerment
3) Advocacy and Support

*Many Aglow Mid-Atlantic Region members at the Lighthouse, Area, and Regional levels throughout the Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Delaware, and District of Columbia area are engaged in Anti-Human Trafficking . For example, they serve on boards, assist organizations caring for trafficking victims/survivors and strive to increase public awareness throughout the region.

Go To Restoration One-Ninety Nine

Mid-Atlantic Aglow Leaders

Below is a list of Human Trafficking, Anti-Human Trafficking headlines from throughout the region and a couple that are Nationwide.

As you will see below they are wide ranging and come from all Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia”

Virginia & West Virginia

Bluefield Daily Telegraph - West Virginia and Virginia attorneys general speak out about human trafficking | News

... trafficked. “You work it off. About 60% percent sex trafficking and about 40% is labor trafficking,” he said. “We've also seen a huge rise in how ...

KXAN - Virginia man on Southwest flight with daughter, friend gets profiled as possible human trafficker

An airport spokesman confirmed Wednesday that Southwest called airport police during the flight, for suspicion of human trafficking, and that Kerrigan ...

North Carolina

Raleigh News & Observer - Women felt 'caged' by NC couple in multi-state sex-trafficking scheme, FBI agent says

A Durham man and his girlfriend will spend a combined 39 years in prison after being arrested in 2022 in an FBI sex trafficking sting.

NC Health News - Human trafficking risk has been rising in western North Carolina since Helene

That could mean an uptick in substance use, which traffickers can then exploit to coerce or control victims. Asheville-based anti-trafficking and ...

CBS 17 - Eight men arrested in child sex predator, human trafficking operation in Wake Forest

“One of the reasons child sex crimes and human trafficking are on the rise is because predators now have access to their victims via home computers ...

Homeland Security Today - WEBINAR: North Carolina Task Force Explores Technology's Role in Combating Human Trafficking

... of technology and human trafficking, with a focus on efforts to curb child exploitation across the Piedmont-Triad region.

Department of Justice - Eastern District of North Carolina | Two Violent Sex Traffickers Sentenced to Combined 39 Years

“Our Human Trafficking Task Force brings agencies together to expose traffickers, rescue victims, and dismantle the illicit networks that traffic

Maryland

AFRO American Newspapers - Greater Baltimore Medical Center receives grant to continue fight against human trafficking

Greater Baltimore Medical Center receives $50000 grant to expand anti-human trafficking efforts. Learn about their work and how the community can ...

Department of Justice - Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Traveling to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct

Unbeknownst to Scott, the man was an undercover officer with the MPD–FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Over the next several ...

Department of Justice - Former Prince George's County Elementary School Teacher Indicted For Coercion And ...

Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on September 26, 2024, charging Mark Edward Cobb, age 44, of Bowie, Maryland, .

WJLA - Silver Spring man charged for drugging, branding & sex trafficking woman he met on Tinder

Monriko Clements, 31, of Silver Spring (Miami-Dade State's Attorney Office)

Howard County - Ellicott City man charged in the sexual abuse of a minor | Howard County

MSN - Child Porn Producer In Maryland Sentenced; Ordered To Register As Sex Offender For Life

... trafficking operation at a federal prison in a small New Mexico town, authorities announced Friday. The arrests were made Wednesday as the FBI and ...

Homeland Security - HSI Baltimore Investigation Leads to 45-Year Prison Sentence for Maryland Man Convicted ...

BALTIMORE — A Maryland man was found guilty of conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of sexual exploitation of a ..

Fox Baltimore - Substitute teacher accused of giving students marijuana, alcohol, money for sex - Fox Baltimore

A grand jury indicted a former substitute teacher on several charges for the rape, sodomy, and sexual trafficking of a student

Kilgore News Herald - Frederick County Launches Enhanced Collaborative Model Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking

DelMarVa

WDEL - Dover man charged with human trafficking, drug crimes | The Latest from WDEL News

An investigation involving Dover Police, Delaware State Police and the FBI has led to the arrest of a man on human trafficking charges and drug ...

The Star Democrat - For All Season hosts training for mandated reporters | Life | stardem.com

For All Seasons recently hosted two human trafficking roundtable discussions for ... human trafficking administrator for the Maryland Department of...

Maryland News - Maryland.gov - Maryland State Police Arrest Cecil County Man On Child Pornography Charges

... of possession, and one count of distribution of child pornography. He was ... For more information on human trafficking in Maryland click here.

District of Columbia

The Washington Post - Head of elite D.C. preschool arrested on child sex charge in FBI sting

Carroll previously spent two years as head of the Beauvoir School in Chevy Chase, Maryland ... The FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task ...

Nationwide

Scioto Valley Guardian - Alarming surge in U.S. sex trafficking cases reported in 2023, study reveals

Of that total, approximately $99 billion stems from sexual exploitation, while $51 billion is generated through forced labor in sectors such as ...

Washington Examiner - Want to combat human trafficking? Secure the border and improve our broken immigration system

Human trafficking involves the exploitation of people through labor or services through force, coercion, or fraud. There are countless stories...

The Maine Wire - Sex Trafficking Of Migrant Girls Has Exploded Under Biden-Harris Admin, Human ... - The Maine Wire

“Nearly all of my sex-trafficking rings now are migrant girls,” Lisa, who runs Shepherd's Watch, a nonprofit group dedicated to locating victims of ...

These headlines unfortunately remind us that trafficking continues at home and fortunately informs us that anti-trafficking heroes remain at work and are increasing.

January will be National Human Trafficking Prevention Month and January 11 will be National Human Trafficking Awareness Day.

Our emphasis is prayer and public awareness lets increase in January without decreasing what we do in the other eleven months.

Below are three human trafficking news headlines and links to the full stories. The situations are in three different states and are vastly different but equally evil.

ONE: There is a new type of trafficking: “Benefits Trafficking (savings, retirement, other checks)”. In this case a financial advisor stole over a million dollars from a trusting retiree. We need to make elderly people aware to be careful regarding who is trying to “help” them.

Maryland Financial Advisor Sentenced to three-and-a-half years in Federal Prison for ...

“The victim spent his life working diligently, saving for retirement, and building an inheritance for his loved ones. Blizzard not only stole a million dollars but took away their security and peace of mind. The FBI will not stand idly by as fraudsters and cheats take advantage of our elderly citizens. We, along with our law enforcement partners, vow to identify, investigate and pursue those targeting vulnerable people in Maryland."

TWO: Officials in Prince William County VA tell FOX 5 they are adding a second human trafficking prevention specialist to work with students in public schools. Watch this video https://www.fox5dc.com/video/1449504. The same things can be achieved in smaller less wealthy school districts by seeking participation by volunteer and other officials. 

THREE: Maria Teague sent this from Statesville, NC saying “This took place right on my own city” : Three women face charges following investigation into complaints about illicit activities at a Statesville spa.
https://www.iredellfreenews.com/news-features/2024/spd-three-women-face-charges-following-investigation-of-illicit-activities-at-statesville-spa/

Anti-Human Trafficking Accomplishments

An impressive series of Anti-Human Trafficking events and activities have taken place throughout the region beginning in 2015. These actions took place at the Regional, Area, Lighthouse, State Prayer Coordinator, and Ministry levels. Following is a summary, not all inclusive, of those accomplishments...

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2022-10-26-Anti-Human-Trafficking-Brochure_r62022_page2_image1-cropped-1-958x1024
Download Here

The Mid-Atlantic Anti-Human Trafficking brochure "You Can Change Lives" is available.

What Are Some Potential Signs That a Child is Being Groomed for, or Being Trafficked?

What Can We Do to STOP Human Trafficking?

To obtain paper copies of this brochure, contact Ed Thomas @ edtho@comcast.net

Resources

There is an abundance, of information available regarding human trafficking. All a person needs to do is google “Human Trafficking” or “Human Trafficking in (name the area; for example, Northern Virginia)” to get access to useful resources and to learn about human trafficking in your area. The information comes in many forms including websites, films, videos, webinars, videos, tool-kits, printed materials.

Go to Resources

Current Events

Below is information related to events, publications and presentations that have become available recently.

2023 Trafficking in Persons Report

On June 15, the U.S. State Department released the 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report. This report provides a comprehensive, objective assessment of 188 countries and territories – including the United States. Its purpose is to showcase successful efforts to prevent trafficking, to identify areas where countries are falling short and have more work to do, and ultimately to eliminate trafficking altogether. In his remarks Secretary Blinken stated that, “The report also highlights a number of concerning trends.”

  • The first is the continued expansion of forced labor.
  • The second is the rise in labor trafficking using online scams.
  • Third, the report exposes the risks facing an often-overlooked segment of trafficking victims: boys and young men.

The 90 page summary of the TIP report can be obtained at  Download the 2023 Report the entire report, over 600 pages, will become available soon.

Recent News

A series of recent headlines from throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region make it clear that law enforcement agencies are dedicated to combating human trafficking, victim service provider groups are available to help rescued victims, and there seems to be an endless supply of buyers. Prayer is essential.