The city of Phoenix's television station, PHXTV, has produced and is currently airing "Out in the Open," a documentary highlighting the fascinating and frightening stories of two Valley women, thrown into the world of sex trafficking as teenagers. The bravery to tell their stories sparks a much-needed conversation in today's society about the dangers that still exist for youth everywhere. The average age of a young teen trafficked is only 13 years old. It is important for everyone to take a moment to watch and listen to what these two women went through, in hopes of preventing other young women, and men, from suffering the same experiences. The Emmy Award winning PHXTV produced this long-form interview show in hopes of raising awareness and igniting a conversation about how to identify troubled youth and the resources that are available to help them.
Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton established the Phoenix Human Trafficking Task Force in 2013. With the help of Councilman Jim Waring, the task force developed a community outreach plan that includes actions in not only outreach, but training, law enforcement and victim services. A success, highlighted in this feature production, is Phoenix Starfish Place. The 15-unit apartment complex is one of the nation's first long-term housing projects for human trafficking victims. The housing location offers a safe place for not only trafficking victims, but their children as well and provides services and resources for them to start new lives.
"Out in the Open" is currently airing nightly on PHXTV at 9 p.m. You can find PHXTV on Cox Cable channels 11 and 1011, Century Link 8005 and on the city's YouTube channel.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human sex trafficking, help is out there:
https://humantraffickinghotline.org/
http://www.safeactionproject.org/
http://www.trustaz.org/
http://endsextrafficking.az.gov/
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