Oxford Spokeswoman Lorie Denton wanted the community to understand what Oxford’s stance on Human Trafficking was. At Tuesday’s January 25 council meeting, the city issued a proclamation designating Oxford as a Trafficking Free Zone, ensuring our community is prepared to recognize signs of human trafficking and know what steps to take.
In May of 2021, Junior League of Anniston Calhoun President and City of Oxford employee Jaclyn Willis asked the Oxford City Council to take a stand against Human Trafficking. She also is a volunteer with Trafficking Hope, an Anti-Human Trafficking Advocate group. During the May 2021 council meeting, the city committed to implementing processes to become a Trafficking Free Zone. Since that time, Oxford has made great efforts to follow up on its commitment. Every city employee has received Human Trafficking 101: Community Member Certification Training as part of the Trafficking Free Zone program with the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking.
Currently, the city is providing in-depth training with the help of the Child Trafficking Solutions Project for our first responders and the Parks and Recreation Department staff to be fully equipped when encountering human trafficking situations.
Oxford’s Chief of Police Bill Partridge states, “The East Metro Area Crime Center created the Human Trafficking and Crimes against Children Task Force (HTCC) in early 2021 and has made an impact in Oxford and across the region and state over the course of 2021.”
We are proud to announce that this Task Force has been successful in operations that focused on arresting and prosecuting the trafficking buyers instead of victims.
Willis says, “The Junior League of Anniston-Calhoun along with Trafficking Hope have trained every administrator employed by the Oxford City School System by providing them resources and tools to help recognize children that may be vulnerable to Human Trafficking. We placed awareness signs in many restrooms across the city to educate the public on signs of Human Trafficking and give potential victims a phone number to call for help. The Junior League and Trafficking Hope recently sponsored free community awareness events. On January 15, the first annual Human Trafficking Awareness Walk took place at Choccolocco Park. Last week, we organized Removing the Blindfold: A Human Trafficking Information and Resource Fair at the Oxford Civic Center. Removing the Blindfold offered guest speakers from Homeland Security as well as a trafficking survivor. It provided organizations onsite that offer services ranging from mental health, bible studies, childcare, and other to resources for parents and children in need.”
“I am genuinely honored to work for a city that has chosen to actively fight against any and all types of Human Trafficking.
With tonight’s proclamation to be acknowledged as Trafficking Free Zone, we are one step closer to ‘Demolishing the Demand’ and helping to end Human Trafficking. What a fantastic way to end Human Trafficking Awareness month and start 2022 with a core motto from the Junior League, ‘We are unstoppable and better together,’” continues Willis.
The City of Oxford is proud of our commitment to work diligently to educate others, ensuring all front-line industries are aware of this issue and how to recognize it. We applaud the work of Police Chief Bill Partridge and his team at the EMACC for the work they continue to do to put a stop to every type of Human Trafficking. We also greatly appreciate the passion and hard work by Jaclyn Willis along with the Junior League of Anniston-Calhoun , The Child Trafficking Solutions Project and Trafficking Hope.
