OSHKOSH, Wis. — Three students at Oshkosh North High School are partnering with Damascus Road to educate the community and raise awareness of human trafficking.
Damascus Road is a non-profit that helps survivors of human trafficking and helps fight the issue of human trafficking.
Damascus Road does a partnership with Communities in Oshkosh, a project-based learning program where students use their 21st century skills to help the community.
Grace Munig, Danae Blabaum, and Emma Armstrong all decided to use their skills to teach about human trafficking.
"Female empowerment is one of my main passions in life, and they mainly help female sex trafficking victims," said Munig.
The girls told us their eyes have really been opened to the issue law enforcement said is happening right here in Northeast Wisconsin,
"The biggest thing I've learned since starting this partnership with Damascus Road is it's more real than you want to believe it is," said Blabaum.
The students said they hope to educate their peers and the community about human trafficking to raise awareness and remind people it is happening.
"Our age is kind of the target age and being able to educate our peers about it is just really... powerful," said Armstrong.
"I feel like the students are probably going to hear the information a lot better from someone their own age," said Terra Koslowski, the outreach director for Damascus Road.
Each of the girls added that they are excited to continue the fight against trafficking.
"I just really want to educate people because it really is such a scary and huge topic that is in our community. It happens everywhere in Wisconsin," said Munig.
The girls are hosting events with Damascus Road starting next week.
- Human Trafficking 101 presentation May 7 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. in the Oshkosh North High School Auditorium.
- Self Defense training classes for students at Oshkosh North High School on May 7 and May 9.
- Fundraiser on Benvenutos in Oshkosh on May 14. They said 20 percent of profits will be donated to Damascus Road to purchase gift cards for trafficking survivors.
To learn more about Damascus Road, click here.
