Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN) - 1790

Tonight's special guest is Christi Wigle from Tennessee, founder of United Against Slavery (UAS) with a purpose to identify and document challenges affecting the anti-trafficking movement and remove the negative impact on trafficking survivors. UAS trains Survey Leaders and conducts an unprecedented international survey which has currently collected data from 47 states and 70 countries. Christi also co-founded Community Coalition Against Human Trafficking (CCAHT) where collaborative work with other partners including the FBI and DOJ raises awareness, provides training, and provides direct services to victims of trafficking for forty-one counties in East TN. One of CCAHT's efforts was creating the 'TN Save Our Kids' encouraging a state-wide response by key stakeholders to fight human trafficking. Another was the 'National Power of One Unite and Wear White Campaign' that involved participants from 37 states and 9 countries wearing white, to "symbolize shining a light for those trapped in darkness," on January 11 for National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. The campaign was such a success it will now be held annually. Additional to her work with UAS and CCAHT, Christi continues to work with sex and labor trafficking survivors and serves as a mentor to several leaders across the country. In a UAS statement Christi says, "we hope to find common ground among leaders, rise above the obstacles and impact change in this fight for those waiting to be freed from enslavement." She concludes, "Although I have never been trafficked, I have used many painful and traumatic situations throughout my entire life to provide compassion and empathy to those now walking in their healing journey."