Bulletin From Project Meridian Foundation

I am posting a bulletin received from the Project Meridan Foundation relating to one of their upcoming events. This is a worthy organization that works with state and government agencies to rescue and rehabilitate child victims of sexual exploitaion.
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Combating Human Trafficking of Children and Young Women”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 CONTACT: Nathan Wilson
202-257-0987,
nathan.wilson@projectmeridianfoundation.org

Epidemic The National Press Club hosts Project Meridian Foundation;
The Epidemic of Children forced into Sex Trafficking in the United States



Join former U.S. Secretary of State Lawrence S. Eagleburger; Nathan Wilson, Founder / President of Project Meridian Foundation, Inc.; and Dr. Gary Reynolds, retired Chief of Police and the Executive Director for the Safe Surfin’ Foundation at the National Press Club (529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor - Washington, DC 20045) on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 at 6:30pm for a discussion on how Project Meridian Foundation is fighting the worst sexual abuse against our children and young women here in the United States.

Never before in the history of modern humanity has there been so many victims forced into sex trafficking. The numbers are staggering. It is estimated that revenue of over 34 billion dollars is produced each year by human trafficking and that 80 percent of this revenue comes from the sex trade. Two to four million new trafficked victims are engulfed in this horror annually; of which one million American children in the United States between the ages of 11 and 17, and as young as six-months, have been forced into the sex trade and trafficked across state lines.

It is often thought that human trafficking is mainly an international problem; however the statistics sadly show that the human trafficking industry is firmly rooted in the United States. Gangs in New York, California, Texas, Virginia and other states in the United States kidnap and enslave girls between the ages of 11 and 17 for the purposes of forced prostitution and traffic them across state lines. The Commonwealth of Virginia has become the fastest growing area for gang and organized crime in the nation! From 2006 to 2008, the greatest activity for sex trafficking in the U.S. was between Richmond, Virginia; Petersburg, Virginia; and Tidewater, Virginia.

About Project Meridian Foundation
Project Meridian Foundation (PMF) works to assist International, Federal, State, and Local law enforcement agencies by offering education and awareness training so they may identify and recover victims of human and sex trafficking. PMF strives to bring awareness to the most vulnerable youth in the United States between the ages of 11 and 17, as well as educating University students; and provides our country’s leaders, civic groups and other organizations with factual and relevant information empowering them to take action against human and sex trafficking. Project Meridian Foundation is preparing for the launch of Operation Safe House; an initiative to provide the victims of human and sex trafficking with shelter, healthcare, education, and vocational training so they can resume a normal life. Project Meridian Foundation is a tax deductible 501(c) (3) Organization with Federal Tax identification number EIN # 20-5052942.www.projectmeridianfoundation.org
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