By Elyssia Gideon/reporter

The head of the Human Trafficking Unit in the Texas Attorney General’s office will present Pornography, Prostitution, Pimp Culture and Human Trafficking 1-3 p.m. Sept. 5 in NFAB theater on NE Campus.

You can Sign Up Here.

Learn how to recognize signs, how to help someone in trouble and how to stop unwittingly contributing to the demand of human trafficking.

Texas is second in the nation for human trafficking crimes, and reported cases of human trafficking are “rising at an alarming rate,” said Crystal Martz, NE health services coordinator, RN, MSN. That is why TCC feels it’s not only important but necessary to have this presentation.

“It’s an institution that benefits from the forced and purposeful mistreatment of humans in an economic fashion requiring demand to be supplied thus enabling the terrible cycle to perpetuate,” NE student Danielle Mikeworth said. 

Human trafficking can happen anywhere.

“Students here at TCC have reported trafficking attempts at their places of employment, the mall and local parks,” Martz said.

Although readers may be aware of what porn and prostitution actually are, they may not know how it exactly ties in with human trafficking.

“I would assume it is an outlet, out of many, that those who are trafficked are forced into. It wouldn’t surprise me if the majority of the porn that people watch and prostitutes people solicit actually derive from human trafficking,” Mikeworth said.

The presentation will focus on how porn, prostitution and pimp culture contribute to human trafficking.

“We are often unknowing or unwitting contributors to the demand side of the trafficking equation,” Melton said.

But for those forced into modern day slavery, there is hope. And each person they come across has the ability to be that hope.

“Every person in Texas needs to understand the fundamentals of human trafficking, red flags for identifying victims and some of the factors that contribute to demand,” Melton said.

Educating the public to how to help is key to prevention, Melton said.

“Human trafficking victims don’t typically self-identify and don’t report to law enforcement. It takes an informed public to identify victims so that they can be freed at the first opportunity rather than endure additional months or years of exploitation,” Melton said.

The Texas Attorney General’s office has created a training video, which can be found on their website, called “Be The One” to teach Texans how to be the one in the fight against human trafficking.

“No one is immune to human trafficking,” Martz said.

The “Be the One” video says human trafficking does not discriminate. But according to Martz, education and awareness is the key to prevention.

“We have created a one-hour documentary film that introduces trafficking to the public from the perspective of those who have had to go through it and those that were responsible for their rescue,” Melton said.

TCC is committed to doing their part in combating human trafficking.

“Tarrant County College is committed to being a part of the solution and demonstrating a zero tolerance culture in regard to human trafficking,” Martz said.

To attend, sign up via the QR code provided. Attendees are required to RSVP for this event.

Two hours professional development is offered for attending.