Rotary club speaks about human trafficking
Stafford's presentation on human trafficking highlighted the fact that trafficking is a reality and can happen to anyone, although the vulnerable are more at risk.
The Rotary Club of Benoni Aurora hosted their monthly speakers meeting on July 24 and Major Margaret Stafford, fellow Rotarian and the national coordinator of the Anti-Human Trafficking Task Team of The Salvation Army was the guest of honour.
She shared the story of a lonely widow who worked as a real estate agent.
The woman met a man at a pub and he asked her to come with him to Bloemfontein to meet his family, which she agreed to.
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But she never came back and her family started asking questions. Finally, after three years, they found her again – working as a prostitute on the streets of Bloemfontein and under the control of the man she met in the pub.
Stafford also shared some national statistics on missing children. In 2018, more than 16 000 children went missing in South Africa, of which 4 000 have not been found.
“I want to again stress that there is no waiting period to report it after a person goes missing,” she said.
“If you suspect an adult or a child could be missing, report it immediately.”
As serious as the topic of conversation was, the evening ended with fellowship and two lucky guests each winning a bottle of wine.
