The city of Spokane has signed on to a statewide messaging campaign meant to draw attention to human trafficking.
The campaign seeks to reach victims of human trafficking who feel like they’re stuck in untenable situations. It’s led by Rebekah Covington, a western Washington woman who herself was a sex trafficking victim.
“I knew we needed a campaign that spoke directly to people experiencing a trafficking situation so that they could hear the words ‘You are not alone’ and that there is a way out," Covington told reporters at a recent press conference.
Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward says a local task force focuses on the sex trade and people who are coerced to participate.
“Unfortunately the sex trafficking trade is not going away. Task force members estimate there are more than 1,400 women, men and juveniles who have advertised commercial sex in Spokane dating back to 2015," she said.
The "You Are Not Alone" campaign will post ads and flyers in airports and bus and ferry terminals, places where sex workers are most likely to enter the state.
