March Against Child Trafficking being held in Downtown Bakersfield Saturday evening

The March Against Child Trafficking is being held in Downtown Bakersfield Saturday evening.

CHILD TRAFFICKING ISBEING HELD IN DOWNTOWNBAKERSFIELD, AND A LARGE TURNOUT IS ANTICIPATED.23 ABC'S AUSTIN WESTFALL ISJOINING US LIVE WITH MORE ONWHAT WE EXPECT TO SEE LATER.AUSTIN?ALEX THIS EVENT HAS GARNED A LOTOF ATTENTION ON SOCIAL MEDIAIN THE PAST FEW DAYS, ONEFACEBOOK GROUP DEDICATED TOTHE EVENT HAS OVER 5,000MEMBERS.

IT HAS LARGE INTERESTBECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH ALARGE PROBLEM HERE IN KERNCOUNTY.PROSTITUTION AND SEX TRAFFICKINGCONTINUES TO BEA PROBLEM HERE, AND AROUND THECOUNTRY.

MAGDALENE HOPE, A LOCALNON-PROFIT THAT RESCUES WOMENFROM HUMANTRAFFICKING, SHELTERS THEM, ANDREINTEGRATESTHEM BACK INTO SOCIETY, ISHELPING TO HOST THE EVENT.

ANDTHEY SAY TRAFFICKING HAS NOTBEEN SLOWED AT ALL BYTHE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

ALTHOUGHTHERE APPEARS TO BETHOUSANDS OF PEOPLE INTERESTEDIN THE EVENT ONFACEBOOK, IT'S UNKNOWN HOW MANYPEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY BETURING OUT TO THE MARCH.

ONETHING IS CERTAIN THOUGH,ORGANIZERS WANT EVERYONE TO BEWEARING A MASK.

THEY ALSODISCOURAGE PEOPLE FROM BRINGINGKIDS TO THE MARCH.THE ROUTE BEING TAKEN STARTS AT928 17TH STREET.

FROM THERE,MARCHERS WILL MAKE THERE WAY TOTRUXTON AVENUE THENHEAD WEST, STOPPING AT THE KERNCOUNTY SUPERIOR COURT,THE LIBERTY BELL, AND FINALLY,THE FOX THEATER.

THEN THEMARCHERS WILL HEAD BACK WHERETHEY CAME FROM.THINGS ARE SLATED TO START AT 6P.M.WE'VE HEARD NO OFFICIAL WORDFROM LAW ENFORCEMENT,BUT IT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLETRAFFIC MAY BE IMPACTED BY THEEVENTLATER IF THE MARCH GROWS LARGEENOUGH, SIMILAR TO HAVE WE SAWDURING THE GEROGE FLOYDPROTESTS.

WE WILL BEINTERVIEWING SOMEONE FROMMAGDELENE HOPE LIVE COMING UP INOUR 8 O CLOCK HOUR.

FOR NOW INDOWNTOWN BAKERSFIELDAUSTIN WESTFALL 23ABC CONNECTINGYOU.MEANWHILE -- THE NUMBER OFDEATHS FROM COVID-19 HAS