Convenience stores in Georgia are joining the fight against human trafficking.
The Georgia Association of Convenience Stores is partnering with an anti-human trafficking organization to train clerks how to recognize human trafficking and put phone numbers in bathroom for victims to call for help.
“There are so many folks that come through our stores, it’s important for our frontline to recognize the signs and to have a phone number that they can call,” says GACS president Angela Holland.
“We’re training employees, so they know what to do. And we want them to be safe. They’re not going to intervene. They make the right phone calls,” she tells WSB’s Sandra Parrish.
Nita Belles, executive director of Human Trafficking In Our Backyard, says they’ve trained clerks in 1,200 stores in 29 states so far.
Cecelia Roberts is a human trafficking survivor. At age 17, she was befriended by a couple when she was homeless and knows convenience stores are frequented by both pimps and victims.
“It’s the easiest place to take girls and do whatever transaction, even if the person is missing,” she says.
Roberts says oftentimes customers are too busy to see victims who may trying to get their attention. She believes training clerks what to recognize will help.
The hope is to get as many stores on board before the 2019 Super Bowl in Atlanta.