CENTRAL FLORIDA — Advocates working to end human trafficking in central Florida gathered for an event to spread awareness about the issue and reach out to victims.
The event at Lake Eola is part of a community effort to spread awareness about human trafficking and inform the community on how they can help put a stop to child exploitation.
It is no longer a secret that human trafficking is a major problem in central Florida, but there are people going to great extents to help victims of human traffickers.
Channel 9's Tim Barber took a look inside a secret safe house that is designed to help women who have been victimized by human traffickers.
Central Florida's busy tourism industry makes it a target for human traffickers.
Every year, hundreds of Floridians call the hotline set up to save the women who have been forced into sex slavery. Channel 9 has covered a number of arrests of accused traffickers.
Christina Walker is the program director for the Samaritan Village, which runs the safe house.
"They will have food, they will have clothing, they will have a bed to themselves," said Walker.
The location of the safe house is kept secret to protect the girls and women who live there. Transitions Resale Boutique, a resale store near the Fashion Square Mall, is open to the public because the proceeds from the store directly fund the shelter.
Barber spoke with Ultima Morgan who described her plans to build a new center with the non-profit group Life Boat, which will also help survivors.
"To say 'unlock the cage, there you go,' no food, no education, no language, no nothing that is also cruel in my mind," said Morgan.
The center is still in the planning phase, but when it is done, Morgan believes it will provide education, job training and therapy to give sex-trafficking survivors new lives.
"They are trapped. Someone has to help them," said Morgan.