By Charly SHELTON

Human trafficking is a growing problem in America and California is the worst state for cases of human trafficking, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Data for 2018 is still being tabulated, but in 2017 California saw 1,305 cases reported. The next highest state, Texas, saw 792 in the same year. A total of 8,524 cases were reported nationwide in 2017, up from 3,272 just five years prior. In each of those previous five years, California was the highest ranked state for human trafficking and had a case total that was nearly or over double the total of the number two state.

Though this is a growing concern, education regarding human trafficking is not climbing at the same rate in which cases are. Opal Singleton is working to combat that.

Singleton is president and CEO of Million Kids, a nonprofit that combats human trafficking, social media exploitation, child pornography and “sextortion,” blackmail through use of nude pictures. She also serves as the training and outreach coordinator for the Riverside County Anti-Human-Trafficking Task Force, reporting to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Dept. through a Dept. of Justice grant. In addition, Singleton is an instructor at USC and the LA Fire Training Academy, author of two books and host of two radio shows. She travels the country lecturing on human trafficking abatement for first responders and communities. Now she brings this wealth of experience in lecture and workshop form to the Crescenta Valley community.

Million Kids will hold a full day of lectures at the Sunland Neighborhood Church on Thursday, Jan. 24, which promises to be a very informative experience.

“Parents are very, very important [attendees] in this because I deal with not just human trafficking, I also deal with social media exploitation and ‘sextortion’ – that’s where young people get blackmailed for sending a naked photo. Also family therapists or teachers or medical personnel [should attend] – anybody who’s interested in keeping kids safe from predators,” Singleton said. “I go deep into how all this takes place but I also talk about the art of grooming. Basically these crimes aren’t usually kidnappings; [predators] usually seduce the young person into participating. And sometimes [victims] end up being sold into commercial sex and prostitution. Other times they’re blackmailed with a naked photo.

“What I’ll be talking about is those crimes, how they take place, how [victims are] groomed, recruited and, more importantly, how to empower teenagers so they don’t fall victim to it.”

Gangs are the ones that are responsible for most of this recruitment and blackmail but, in the modern age, they aren’t “street corner” gangs anymore. They are online, on social media, posing as fellow kids or even seducing kids acting like older gentlemen who want “to take care of them.” This is much harder to spot because it looks innocuous enough – until it turns dangerous. These are the signs Singleton hopes to teach parents and teachers to spot.

“It looks like a new boyfriend, it looks like a dating site where you hook up, and a girl will, at 14 or 15 years old, fall in love. Maybe she sends them photos, she gets blackmailed or maybe it’s really a pimp and he takes her out and puts her into commercial sex,” Singleton said. “So we’ll talk about how all of that works; however, the most important thing is how to educate our young people so they don’t become victims of it.”

Singleton will be holding two sessions. The first session – Crimes of Human Trafficking and Exploitation –runs from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and will be just for first responders and social workers. It is more occupational-based training.

The second session – Seduced: The Grooming of America’s Teenagers – runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and will be open to the public. Singleton encourages anyone who cares for children’s safety to attend.

The event takes place at Sunland Neighborhood Church at 10632 Oro Vista Ave. in Sunland and is free to attend.

  Charly Shelton