The Santa Clarita Valley Human Trafficking Taskforce and College of the Canyons are set to host the 10th annual SCV Human Trafficking Prevention Summit on Sept. 20. This event is aimed to raise awareness and give attendees the tools needed to notice when someone needs help.
It is scheduled to be from 8 a.m. to noon at COC’s Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center, Room 258.
Pastor Dan Broyles and Larry Schallert, co-founders of the SCV Human Trafficking Taskforce, started the task force nearly 10 years ago with the goal to make a difference in their community.
“We co-started it as a community project to really try to make a difference and to help give people a voice that are being trafficked,” said Broyles. “As a result of that task force, which I currently run, the summit has come out.”
The summit will feature speakers including law enforcement, experts, and a survivor who will be sharing her story of how she was trafficked out of Santa Clarita.
“One of the biggest misconceptions is people think that trafficking doesn’t happen to Santa Clarita when it absolutely does,” said Broyles.
Broyles said it is not always in the form of kidnapping. It could take form in a grooming scenario online or at a party. At the summit, nonprofit agencies will speak about how they can provide resources to those who need them.
The summit is open to everyone, said Broyles. The more people who attend and learn about the signs, resources, and prevention methods, the safer the community will be, he said.
“I’ve had a number of people who have become more educated about the idea of human trafficking and how it occurs, who’ve later than told me they’ve actually noticed somebody and have been able to help or provide resources for that individual, once they now know the signs,” said Broyles.
To reserve a spot for the event, visit tinyurl.com/bdhsrc38.
College of the Canyons is located at 26455 Rockwell Canyon Road, Valencia.
