District Attorney’s office spearheads Macon battle against human trafficking with ‘Into the Light’ event

The office of District Attorney Anita Howard and 'Out of Darkness' hosted a symposium on the campus of Mercer University

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Do something. That was the message of the “Into the Light” symposium led by Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney Anita Howard’s office and “Out of Darkness”.

It was part of an effort to shed light on human trafficking.

“A lot of times when we see thing like this on TV, we don’t think it will touch our family,” Assistant District Attorney Breanna Foster said, adding the DA’s office currently has 126 open child sexual abuse cases in the community.

Foster says human trafficking and child sex abuse go hand in hand. She says 84% of sex trafficking victims were also victims of childhood sex abuse. She says by the time the DA’s office receives a sexual assault case, they can prosecute, but the goal is to set up measures so it doesn’t happen in the first place. The symposium is one of the outlets where the community can be educated, informed and empowered to do their part.

In the unfortunate circumstance someone if trafficked, there are safe havens. One of those safe havens is “Out of Darkness”. The organization rescues people who have been trafficked and helps put them on the path to rebuilding their life.

“We’re just a vehicle,” Out of Darkness co-founder and director Cynthia Smith said.

Smith says one of things the organization does is goes into the Bibb County Jail and focuses on mentorship and building relationships. They also assist with getting people into a program after finishing theirs so there is support for as long as the trafficking survivor needs it.

“They care so much,” sex trafficking survivor Alexandria Hall said.

Hall entered into the program after years of being in and out of jail on the heels of being sexually trafficked. She says the program helped her reconstruct her life and has also helped her in her faith journey.

“If you see something, say something,” Foster said. “If you say something, we’ll do something.”

Foster says the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office also partners with them on their efforts.

If you know someone who is being trafficked, call the Out of Darkness Rescue Hotline at (404) 941-6024.