Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Project V.O.I.C.E. Is Increasing Awareness

Ohio has increased access to services for victims of human trafficking by providing more than $5 million in federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding to organizations and agencies that serve survivors of human trafficking, according to the 2017 Human Trafficking Commission Annual Report., continuing efforts across the state through education and victim services.

Project V.O.I.C.E is one of the many organizations that strive to raise public awareness of human sex trafficking and domestic violence.  Co-founders Jenice Tate, Jelise Roberts, and LaDonna Knabbs formed this nonprofit to educate the youth on commercial sexual exploitation as a gateway to domestic violence and human sex trafficking.

“I had a front-row view of how violence affects women and their families,” Tate said. Her stepson’s mother was murdered in 2004. The negative effects on her family from domestic violence motivated her to help women who were abused and hurting. The co-founders are all from Toledo, Ohio, one of the top cities for number counts of human trafficking incidents, according to Roberts. Hitting close to home, that inspired them to raise awareness and end the abuse.

Project V.O.I.C.E started by doing workshops in schools to educate students about domestic violence and human trafficking. They have now partnered with the Lucas County Coalition and other agencies, like My Sister’s House for Girls, to create a bigger impact on the local communities. “Right now we are laying the foundation, building relationships, getting the word out, getting programming set into place so we can have greater and longer lasting impact within the community,” Roberts said.

Misconceptions about Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking

“I think misconceptions are that it doesn’t happen here in Toledo, it’s not going on in our cities, it’s not happening in our communities. And, the fact of the matter, it is happening,” Tate said.

According to the Data & Evaluation Network Report on the Family Cycle of Domestic Violence in Lucas County:

  • Once every 28 minutes, a 911 call is received for domestic violence and/or domestic arguments,
  • Once every 2.6 hours, a person is being charged with domestic violence,
  • Once every 3.1 hours, a person is being booked into a facility on a domestic-related charge.

Local law enforcement reported, during the past year, they identified 221 suspected traffickers, including 211 potential sex traffickers and ten potential labor traffickers.

“I know that Lucas County and surrounding areas are also very good in fighting human trafficking and domestic violence, so you are going to hear about more arrests and survivors possibly getting rescued,” Tate said. “We still have a lot of work to do in helping survivors as they journey along their process and get their lives back on track, especially the domestic ( victims who are) minors.”

Join the Movement- 3rd Annual 5K Run/Walk Saturday, August 11th

Project V.O.I.C.E encourages the community to engage together, raise awareness and help the fight. “The proceeds will go towards safe havens and to other organizations that are working towards the same goal to help survivors get back on track to a normal life,” Roberts said.

Registration opens at 8am and the race starts at 8:30am at Swan Creek Metropark (4100 Glendale Ave.)
Register or donate online. 

 

Ohio has increased access to services for victims of human trafficking by providing more than $5 million in federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding to organizations and agencies that serve survivors of human trafficking, according to the 2017 Human Trafficking Commission Annual Report., continuing efforts across the state through education and victim services.

Project V.O.I.C.E is one of the many organizations that strive to raise public awareness of human sex trafficking and domestic violence.  Co-founders Jenice Tate, Jelise Roberts, and LaDonna Knabbs formed this nonprofit to educate the youth on commercial sexual exploitation as a gateway to domestic violence and human sex trafficking.

“I had a front-row view of how violence affects women and their families,” Tate said. Her stepson’s mother was murdered in 2004. The negative effects on her family from domestic violence motivated her to help women who were abused and hurting. The co-founders are all from Toledo, Ohio, one of the top cities for number counts of human trafficking incidents, according to Roberts. Hitting close to home, that inspired them to raise awareness and end the abuse.

Project V.O.I.C.E started by doing workshops in schools to educate students about domestic violence and human trafficking. They have now partnered with the Lucas County Coalition and other agencies, like My Sister’s House for Girls, to create a bigger impact on the local communities. “Right now we are laying the foundation, building relationships, getting the word out, getting programming set into place so we can have greater and longer lasting impact within the community,” Roberts said.

- Advertisement -

Misconceptions about Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking

“I think misconceptions are that it doesn’t happen here in Toledo, it’s not going on in our cities, it’s not happening in our communities. And, the fact of the matter, it is happening,” Tate said.

According to the Data & Evaluation Network Report on the Family Cycle of Domestic Violence in Lucas County:

  • Once every 28 minutes, a 911 call is received for domestic violence and/or domestic arguments,
  • Once every 2.6 hours, a person is being charged with domestic violence,
  • Once every 3.1 hours, a person is being booked into a facility on a domestic-related charge.

Local law enforcement reported, during the past year, they identified 221 suspected traffickers, including 211 potential sex traffickers and ten potential labor traffickers.

“I know that Lucas County and surrounding areas are also very good in fighting human trafficking and domestic violence, so you are going to hear about more arrests and survivors possibly getting rescued,” Tate said. “We still have a lot of work to do in helping survivors as they journey along their process and get their lives back on track, especially the domestic ( victims who are) minors.”

Join the Movement- 3rd Annual 5K Run/Walk Saturday, August 11th

Project V.O.I.C.E encourages the community to engage together, raise awareness and help the fight. “The proceeds will go towards safe havens and to other organizations that are working towards the same goal to help survivors get back on track to a normal life,” Roberts said.

Registration opens at 8am and the race starts at 8:30am at Swan Creek Metropark (4100 Glendale Ave.)
Register or donate online. 

 

Recent Articles