The Geauga West Rotary Club hosted special guest speaker Laura Bartchak who is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Harriet Tubman Movement. The Harriet Tubman Movement is an advocacy group dedicated to helping people along the road to freedom. This group serves persons who have been victims of human trafficking – sex trafficking, prostitution, and other forms of exploitation. (https://www.harriettubmanmovement.org/ )
Ms. Bartchak gave an excellent power point and video presentation that gave the audience a strong grasp on the subject of Human and Sex Trafficking in the country and, in particular, here in NE Ohio. This is a widespread and underreported crime that continues to exploit and subject many of our youth and young adults into a life of servitude at the hands of people who make a living abusing their victims. If you think this does not happen in Geauga County, then you would be dead wrong. Chester Twp. Police Chief Craig Young provided a case that happened recently right here in Chesterland involving two girls. Thankfully, they were rescued due to being reported and the Harriet Tubman organization partnered with the police to provide these two girls the help and assistance they needed to begin getting their lives on a track of safety, security and normalcy.
