Atlanta-based End It movement shines light on modern-day slavery

By: WSB Community

The worldwide End It movement to end human trafficking is urging the public to “Shine a Light on Slavery” this Thursday.

The millennial-driven movement began in Atlanta in 2013 at a passion conference sponsored by Buckhead-based Passion City Church.

How you can help today on WSB-TV’s People 2 People at 12:30p

The End It movement is made up of  a coalition of more than a dozen organizations fighting for freedom for the estimated 27 million men, women and children trapped in various forms of modern day slavery which include sex trafficking and forced labor.

On Shine a Light on Slavery Day, February 23, the nonprofit is asking people to draw a red X on their hand and tell their community about modern-day slavery through social media posts and other outlets using the hashtag #ENDITMOVEMENT. Since 2013, the red X has been shared more than 500 million times.

“What we found is that having a symbol like the red X is a chance for us to raise our voice,” movement spokesperson Bryson Vogeltanz said.

Slavery remains a serious concern in Georgia, where voters recently passed the Safe Harbor Act to dedicate funding for child victims of sex trafficking.

“There are hundreds of kids every night in metro Atlanta sold for sex,” former Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens told WSB-TV.

So far, End It movement supporters have raised $4 million to fund 66 projects worldwide.

Cox Media Group