TAMPA, Fla.-- It's a crime hidden in the shadows that impacts hundreds of thousands across the United States: Human trafficking.
Florida is one of the worst states for it.
Tampa General Hospital wants to teach their nurses and the public about it on Saturday.
“As health care providers, we can be that first line of defense when they come to the emergency room,” said Karley Wright, a TGH nurse and education specialist.
Wright, along with Denise Neumann and Kelly Murphy, are hosting the event. They provided a sobering statistic: 50 percent of victims are younger than 16-years-old.
The problem is so bad that Florida nurses can’t renew their licenses without human trafficking training.
“We need to be able to help our community,” said Neumann, who is also a registered nurse.
Nurses are trained to look at certain signs.
“We look for victims that don’t have any independence," Murphy said. "So, if they come in as a patient, a lot of times they are not allowed to speak or answer for themselves. They’re never left alone. They have bruising."
All of the profits from the event will go to organizations who help children and adult victims of human trafficking.
“The victims we can recognize pretty well, but the trafficker you have no idea. So, I just think we need to have our heads and eyes and ears open for those traffickers,” Wright said.
You can buy a ticket online or at the door.
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