Human trafficking focus in South Euclid at Notre Dame College

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio - For the first time in the greater Cleveland area, the NEO Human Trafficking Symposium was held at Notre Dame College in South Euclid.

Dr. Peter Corpus, author of "The Traumatized Child," Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital and an FBI task force member chatted about the "Pimp Culture and Language." The keynote of the event was given by Renee Jones of the Renee Jones Empowerment Center.

"In this lifestyle, they are so traumatized, so brain washed, that even if they try and escape it's hard to get out of this lifestyle," Jones explained, speaking about how hard it is for women to get out of human trafficking.

A report released by the Ohio Attorney General's Office said more than 1,000 American-born children are forced into the sex trade each year. It's a startling number, but sadly, nothing new to a former sex worker China Darrington, who saw children first-hand in the worst conditions.

"I saw very young kids who were trafficked and they were forcing a drug habit on them," Darrington explained. She said kids as young as 5 years old were involved in the sex trade. The Akron woman said she hasn't turned a "trick" in eight years.

The symposium covered a range of issues, including how doctors and nurses can spot victims who may not be forthcoming. Darrington urges woman not to "wait one minute longer than the moment you know you want to stop."

Darrington was forced into the sex industry when she was just 3 years old. It was her life for six years, when another woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said she got into the business after her boyfriend asked her to sleep with his friends. After their relationship soured, she sought out the love of a new man: a pimp.

"He [would] say, 'if you do this, I will treat you like [you’re] my number one.'"

She left him after one of his "girls" kicked her stomach.

The symposium lasted about eight hours and Darrington spoke for about 20 minutes. Her hope is that the message gets out and the women in the business get out too.