Bakersfield march against child trafficking

An initiative to end child trafficking across the country was held in Bakersfield.

TRAFFICKING ACROSS THECOUNTRY WAS HELD HERE INBAKERSFIELD... AND PEOPLEMARCHED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA TORAISE AWARENESS FORTHE CAUSE...23ABC'S LEZLA GOODEN ATTENDEDTHE EVENT AND HASMORE.(NAT POP)MORE THAN 50 PEOPLE TOOK THESTREETS OF DOWNTOWNBAKERSFIELD ON SATURDAY RIGHTAFTER SIX.

TO MARCH AND BRINGAWARENESS TO CHILD TRAFFICKINGABUSE IN THEWORLD AND RIGHT HERE INBAKERSFIELD.

A SEA OF SIGNSREADING SAVE OUR CHILDREN.ANDSTOP HUMANTRAFFICKING WERE SEEN THROUGHTHE CROWD.YOU SEE SOMETHING SAY SOMETHINGDON'TBE AFRAIFD PERPETRATORS LIKE TOPLAY LIKE THEY'RE TOUGH GUYS,YOU'RENOT A TOUGH GUY IF YOU TOUCH ACHILD.

SO, I'M TALKING TO YOU IFYOU'RE APERPETRATOR.

WE'RE COMING FORYOU.

WE'RE TIRED OF YOU TOUCHINGANDHURTING OUR CHILDRENAT THE HEART FO THE CAUSE IS ANDONE OF THE ORGANIZERS OFMARCH IS DOUG BENDETT, FOUNDEROF MAGELEN ANDHOPE..

WHICH IS A LOCAL NON-PROFIT THAT HELPSINDIVIDUALS SAVES WOMEN FROMHUMAN TRAFFICKING,SHELTERS THEM, AND REINTEGRATESTHEM BACK INTOSOCIETY, IS HELPING TO HOST THEEVENT- BENDETT SAYSWITNESSINGG THE TRAUMA OFTRAFFICKING IS WHY HE'SMARCHING..WE SEE MINORS EVER SO OFTEN..THEONETHAT REALLY STICKS OUT TO ME ISABOUT THREE YEARS AGO WE PULLEDUP TO A GIRL, IBLOCKED OUT THE UNION.

TWO GIRLSON THE CORNER WAS ABOUT 30 YEARSOLD, AND THE ONE SHE WASTRAINING, HAD TO BE NO MORE THAN11 YEARS OLD.

SHE SAIDHER BABY TEETH ARE A MOUNTAINAND SHE'S SCARED TO DEATH.

ANDTHAT JUSTCRUSHED ME.BENNETT IS NOT THE ONLY ONEAMONG THE CROWD THAT HASWITNESSED THE PAIN AND SORROW OFHUMAN TRAFFICKING..SEVERAL ATTENDEES SHARE THATTHEIR LOVED ONESWERE VICTIMS OF TRAFFICKING ANDCHILD ABUSE..SOT: CONSUELO VILLAFUERTEI ACTUALLY WENT TO INDIVIDUALSTHATWERE PART OF THE TRAFFICKING,HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THE DAMAGETHAT IS LEFTON THEM.

IT'S GREATLY EIGHTSCARS ON HER LIFE, AND SOME OFTHEM ARE VERYSCARED TO SPEAK UP ABOUT IT.MOST OF THEM YOU KNOW HAVE TODEAL WITH THEPTSD PTSD PORTION OF IT.

AND ITHINK THAT THERE'S SO MANYPEOPLE IN OURCOMMUNITY THAT GO THROUGH THISSTRUGGLE.THE CROWD BEGAN RIGHT HERE ON17TH STREET ANDMARCHED TO SEVERAL KEY LOCATIONSTHAT THEY RE ASKINGTO HELP IN THEIR CAUSE TO..

THEFIRST STOP WAS THECOURTHOUSE-WHERE SAYS THEYARE ASKING FOR STRICTERSENTENCES OF OFFENDERS INVOLVEDIN TRAFFICKING( NATPOP) ..

NEXT STOP WAS THEBAKERSFIELD POLICEDEPARTMENT..

WHICH THE CROWDAPPLAUDED FORTHE DEPARTMENTS CONTINUED STINGOPERATIONS INCATCHING PREDATORS.

THE LASTSTOP WAS THE FOX THEATER..ANDTHEY HAVE THIS MESSAGE..

(NATPOP)THEY NEED OUR HELP..

WE CAN NOTSTAY SILENT ANYMORE I'M LEZLAGOODEN FOR 23 ABC CONNECTINGYOU.AS STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOLVIRTUALLY..

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