By Anna Skinner
Ascent 121 will present a human trafficking awareness forum from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at Fishers United Methodist Church, 9690 E. 116th St. Rev. Jill Buckler said she hopes the event will raise awareness in Hamilton County residents.
“They will be bringing awareness to our community. One of the things about sex trafficking is it’s easy to think it’s in other countries, and it doesn’t really touch us that much,” Buckler said. “One of the things we’ve learned from Ascent 121 is in 2016, there were 115 cases in Indiana, and nine of those were in Hamilton County. That just blows your mind, especially the people who live in Fishers and Carmel area would never think this kind of thing is happening right in our own neighborhoods.”
In addition to raising awareness, Ascent 121 also will present on ways the community can get involved.
“They also will be bringing to the table very real and practical things we can do to be helpful, to be aware, to be mindful of where we can be a help,” Buckler said. “Whether that’s paying a little more attention in our daily lives, in particular with education.”
Part of that education involves bringing awareness to teenagers. The event is free and is suitable for ages 13 and older.
Buckler said the event came forth by a group of church members who attended an awareness event for sex trafficking and felt it weigh on their hearts.
For more, visit fishersumc.org.
