I spent a lot of time up in the air yesterday, flying from Atlanta to Newark, where there was only one runway open because of snow, ice, and dense fog. Once on the ground I lingered by an airport window before making the trek to baggage claim. It was eerie; most of the airport had come to a standstill and roads beyond were hidden in the foggy haze of the horizon. Airline personnel announced further delays for passengers who'd been waiting at their gates for already-delayed flights. "Please be patient," one woman's voice announced on the loudspeaker in a thick New Jersey accent. "We're doing our very best to prepare the plane and get you all boarded and on your way. In the meantime, if there's anything we can do for you, please let us know."
For me, there was nothing more they could do; they had already done plenty by transporting me to New Jersey safely, and this morning I'd like to share with you initiatives the airlines have implemented to help protect children from this week's Super Bowl sex trafficking. Perhaps their initiatives will inspire you to participate in some way, or will trigger some creative ideas on your own part. If so, please write about them in the comments section.
Crew members of at least 5 airlines attended classes at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport on Monday, to learn how to spot sex traffickers among passengers travelling to Dallas and what security steps to take to handle the problem. Nancy Rivald, executive director of Airline Ambassadors, a humanitarian group of flight attendants (I love this group) that has aided victims of sex trafficking internationally, is reported as saying, "We want to be especially vigilant during the week before the Super Bowl...We don't want to profile anyone, but we will be feeding information to security if anything looks suspicious." Hooray! These items are good news, and passengers can help too. We're all more vigilant regarding terrorists on planes. Let's add pimps traveling with children - girls and boys to the list. If you notice any situation that feels suspicious don't hesitate. Speak to airline or security personnel immediately.
Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport was swarming with security personnel yesterday, and I must confess that although my home city has been aggressively working to eliminate this problem, although I'm deeply concerned about the safety of children, and although just a few sentences up I advised you to be vigilant for suspicious activity I didn't even think about the sex-trafficking problem while I was there. All I thought about was getting to my plane on time. I need to be more aware and proactive; we all do. The Super Bowl is only three days away. Let's focus on kids' safety. In Dallas a local organization called Traffic 911 has created an "I'm Not Buying" campaign. They've offered the Host Committee free PSA's, posters, banners, and informational cards to educate the public and protect children from being abused and raped. These are all good things. Let's keep awareness flowing; let's keep proactivity growing.
