The Cape Cod Chronicle
By Digney Fignus
January begins the year with Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Cape Cod PATH (People Against Trafficking Humans), a non-profit under the umbrella of the Cape Cod Foundation, is a task force on the frontline in addressing this pervasive human rights issue.
The reality is that there are more people enslaved today than at any time in history. Across the globe, an estimated 30 million people are being trafficked today, having been forced or coerced into commercial sex acts or labor services against their will. That includes 250,000 children here in the U.S. who are trafficked annually.
Deborah Swiss, a Harwich resident and PATH member for the past four years, said the biggest day in the United States for human trafficking is Super Bowl Sunday. Wherever there is opportunity, traffickers will target the most vulnerable, typically girls age 14 to 17.
“It’s not easy for people to acknowledge that human trafficking exists everywhere around the globe, including in their own back yard,” she said. It is hard to imagine that with all of the natural beauty, the quiet communities scattered across the Cape could harbor a secret like this. Unfortunately, it is resort communities like ours, with many visitors from out of town, that are often the most vulnerable when it comes to trafficking. This explains why PATH’s mission is critical: “To eliminate human trafficking on Cape Cod by raising awareness through education, outreach, and collaboration.” Once the pandemic is behind us, PATH will return to delivering in-person educational programs to schools and community organizations.
Barnstable Police Domestic Violence and Special Victims Detective Katie Parache also volunteers as a member of PATH. “As far as hearing real life stories, they’re rarely made public, and victims have the right to privacy,” she said. “People worry about their kids and think that as long as they are in the house there isn’t any threat.” But, she warned, “access to your child right now is in their hands. It’s their cellphone where predators have an endless supply of potential victims.”