Raleigh Walk to Stop Child Trafficking Now Draws Over 200 Participants

Oct. 6, 2011 - PRLog -- Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC, in conjunction with fellow non-profit organization Stop Child Trafficking Now (SCTNow), held the 3rd annual fundraising walk in Raleigh, NC on Sunday, September 25, 2011. The two-mile walk, hosted by Peace College and sponsored and organized by Raleigh Soroptimists, was part of a campaign that took place in 33 cities throughout the United States and Canada. In North Carolina, walks were also held in Chapel Hill and Fayetteville.

Lynette Lewis, Founder and President of SCTNow kicked off the walk, and introduced representatives of two North Carolina non-profits dedicated to providing shelter to rescued victims of trafficking. On-site volunteers included Soroptimist members, students from Peace and Meredith Colleges, Associates from two Kohl’s locations, and students from the Cary Teen Council. Several area churches and other groups also supported the walk with volunteers and walkers

Child slavery is a growing issue in the US and throughout the world. UNICEF estimates that 2.5 million children, most of whom are girls, are sexually exploited in the multi-billion dollar commercial sex industry. According to the US State Department, an effective campaign must attack the demand. In addition to raising awareness, SCTNow is working to bring an end to child trafficking by going after the predators that are fueling the child sex industry.

Thanks to money raised in prior campaigns, SCTNow has:
- Tracked over 1100 sexual predators, with an additional 4 - 5 predators identified every day.  
- Developed strategic partnerships with U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as well as state and local law enforcement agencies.
- Launched SCTNow Cyber Division and GTRescue Database (criminal evidence against predators is logged into the database and made available to law enforcement for prosecution and conviction).
- Partnered with Facebook to eliminate child pornography and sexual predators on Facebook, removing 10-20 predator profiles per day.

Since 2009, Raleigh Soroptimists have worked to stop trafficking by bringing awareness and action to the Triangle area. The local non-profit has hosted community forums and conducted educational sessions for “first responders” such as health care providers and law enforcement. In September 2010, Raleigh Soroptimists co-hosted a region-wide conference with the Triangle J Council of Governments to inform and challenge local elected officials, city/county managers and law enforcement to address this important issue in our area.  

Contributions toward this year’s campaign will continue to be accepted through October 31, 2011. To learn more and make donations, visit http://www.sctnow.org.

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About Stop Child Trafficking Now:
SCTNow is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit charitable corporation, incorporated in the State of New York under the name Strategic Global Initiatives.  All financial operations are handled transparently and with the utmost accountability.  The certified public accounting firm of Heveron & Hevron PC reviews all donor contributions and financial records.  SCTNow is also represented by Hogan & Hartson, ranked one of the top 20 law firms in the world, with more than 1,100 lawyers in 27 offices worldwide.  SCTNow is registered under Guide Star Charity Check.

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About Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC:
Founded in 1921, Soroptimist is an international volunteer organization of business and professional women. The name, Soroptimist, means "Best for Women." The mission of Soroptimist is to improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world. Soroptimist International of Raleigh, NC, chartered in 1987, is a 501(c)(3) organization solely run and operated by volunteers. Locally, Soroptimist is focused on helping women achieve economic independence, ending violence against women and girls and their Triangle Women of Distinction Awards. For more information on ways to help, donate or become a volunteer, and/or become a member, visit www.soroptimistraleigh.org.