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CHICAGO, IL (Apr 5, 2013) – The 3rd Annual 5k Run Against Traffick, to be held this year on Saturday, September 7, will give attendees a chance to participate in raising awareness for the injustice of human trafficking in Chicago.

According to the Illinois Rescue and Restore Coalition, upwards of 25,000 women and girls are victims of commercial sexual exploitation in Chicago every year. The average age of entry into this life is now estimated to be as young as 11 years old. Once drawn into the life, the average future life expectancy is just seven (7) years. Combining sex trafficking, labor trafficking and domestic servitude, an estimated 27 million people are enslaved around the world - more slaves than spanned the entire 400 years of the transatlantic slave trade.

Traffick Free is doing something about it. We are working in an environment where we can celebrate innovative legislation like the Illinois Safe Children Act that immediately recognizes all those found engaged in commercial sexual exploitation under the age of 18 as victims; progressive collaboration like the weekly Law Enforcement Working Group that engages prosecutors, officers, and social workers to ensure that all cases are victim-centered and not victim-driven; and continued increase of trauma-informed services across the Chicagoland area.

In order to support our current education and awareness initiatives, as well as Traffick Free’s long-term goals to run round-the-clock social services, we are asking hundreds of participants to go the distance, 3.1 miles to be exact. Their presence will help us fulfill our mission to provide the greater metropolitan area of Chicago with tools and sustainable programs to combat human trafficking and transform the lives of victims, perpetrators and communities.

Registration is now open for only $30.00 and includes a takeaway that participants can wear every day to remind themselves what they have accomplished and use as a conversation-starter to engage others in the issue. Goody bags will also include relevant material from several of our partner organizations. This is a family-friendly event from strollers to walkers! As an added bonus, those registering as a group will get the sixth registration free. All information, including the course map, can be seen at .

The 5k Run Against Traffick, born simply from the knowledge that we needed to engage a larger Chicago community, began in 2011 with only 500 participants. With the 5k almost doubling in size this year, and continuing to grow, we invite attendees to make this an annual event.

Two recent documentaries showcase what “the life” looks like in Chicago and helps change perceptions of gangs and prostitution right here in Chicago.

Read about what “The Interrupters” and “Prostitution: Leaving the Life” are all about and where you can find these films playing .

http://tinyurl.com/42va26c

Human trafficking is being recognized as a huge problem in Wisconsin, as noted by task force detective Dawn Jones of the Milwaukee Police.

Read this excellent in-depth article on specific examples of both sex and labor trafficking, including one woman’s story of recovery and hope, what human trafficking looks like in this area, what the challenges are and what’s being done about it.

Read article http://tinyurl.com/4yu7sfx

This month, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed the Justice for Victims of Sex Trafficking Crimes Act, allowing survivors of sex trafficking to clear their records for any prostitution convictions against them while in bondage of human trafficking.

We commend our partners at CAASE for their End Demand Illinois campaign and efforts to make this happen.

Read article http://tinyurl.com/3kezlf8

Chicago gang members were arrested this week in a human trafficking ring selling girls as young as 12 years old.

Girls were recruited on the CTA train and on Chicago’s streets, then drugged, threatened and beaten. This local issue is why Traffick Free exists. We urge you to keep your eyes open for this kind of recruitment and behavior. If you see something, don’t hesitate to call the hotline: 888-3737-888.

Read the full article: http://tinyurl.com/3t88bqe

"The 10th annual Trafficking in Persons Report outlines the continuing challenges across the globe, including in the United States. The Report, for the first time, includes a ranking of the United States based on the same standards to which we hold other countries. The United States takes its first-ever ranking not as a reprieve but as a responsibility to strengthen global efforts against modern slavery, including those within America. This human rights abuse is universal, and no one should claim immunity from its reach or from the responsibility to confront it.

This year’s report highlights several key trends, including the suffering of women and children in involuntary domestic servitude, the challenges and successes in identifying and protecting victims, and the need to include anti-trafficking policies in our response to natural disasters, as was evident in the aftermath of this year’s earthquake in Haiti.

Ending this global scourge is an important policy priority for the United States. This fluid phenomenon continues to affect cultures, communities, and countries spanning the globe. Through partnerships, we can confront it head-on and lift its victims from slavery to freedom." -Hillary Clinton

2010 TIP Report

read it here: Partnering Against Trafficking" (Washington Post)

"... To some, human trafficking may seem like a problem limited to other parts of the world. In fact, it occurs in every country, including the United States, and we have a responsibility to fight it just as others do. The destructive effects of trafficking have an impact on all of us. Trafficking weakens legitimate economies, breaks up families, fuels violence, threatens public health and safety, and shreds the social fabric that is necessary for progress. It undermines our long-term efforts to promote peace and prosperity worldwide. And it is an affront to our values and our commitment to human rights..."

- Secretary Clinton, June 17, 2009