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Va. group gets help in combating human trafficking

Wednesday - 1/11/2012, 10:58am  ET

RICHMOND, Va. - A Richmond nonprofit organization is getting a boost in its campaign to stop human trafficking.

The Richmond Justice Initiative received $25,000 from AT&T to develop a youth prevention and awareness project. The project will include school workshops, outreach efforts and a documentary that students can use to train their peers in human trafficking prevention.

Sara Pomeroy, the organization's director, said at a news conference Wednesday that about 100,000 children become victims of human trafficking every year in the United States, and an additional 300,000 are at risk. Pomeroy and state legislators attending the news conference said children with family problems, girls yearning for a boyfriend and runaways are particularly vulnerable.

Sen. Adam Ebbin of Alexandria said gang initiations also can lead to human trafficking.
