'No one should be allowed to sell another person'
The Winter Olympics start this week, and thousands will converge on Vancouver, B.C., for all the excitement.
But there's a dark side to the games - human trafficking - and one local group has a plan to help young women in need.
The plan involves you.
The group, the Western Washington Coalition Against Human Trafficking, traveled up and down Interstate 5 on Sunday, distributing posters at rest stops and gas stations. The posters are in six languages and give a number to call - 1-888-373-7888.
The coalition is hoping the posters will help young women who've been sold into the sex trade.
Members worry that with the Olympics, traffickers will travel to Vancouver with girls and try to do business.
Studies say that 800,000 people worldwide are forced into the sex trade - lured by the promise of money and clothes but then put in dangerous situations.
The group hopes drivers will be on the lookout as well, says Bonnie Bautz of the Coalition Against Human Trafficking.
"The girls aren't allowed to really look up," she says. "They're not allowed to go to the bathroom by themselves, they're stuck in the car - not allowed to get out and walk around. They're definitely not smiling and talking.
"If you see that kind of thing, and you think something could be going wrong you can call this number," she says.
"These are our children - they deserve to go home. No one should be allowed to purchase another person; no one should be allowed to sell another person."
The posters have to come down by March 2.
But a Senate bill being discussed right now would allow the state Department Of Transportation to put up their own signs and keep them there on a year-round basis.
But there's a dark side to the games - human trafficking - and one local group has a plan to help young women in need.
The plan involves you.
The group, the Western Washington Coalition Against Human Trafficking, traveled up and down Interstate 5 on Sunday, distributing posters at rest stops and gas stations. The posters are in six languages and give a number to call - 1-888-373-7888.
The coalition is hoping the posters will help young women who've been sold into the sex trade.
Members worry that with the Olympics, traffickers will travel to Vancouver with girls and try to do business.
Studies say that 800,000 people worldwide are forced into the sex trade - lured by the promise of money and clothes but then put in dangerous situations.
The group hopes drivers will be on the lookout as well, says Bonnie Bautz of the Coalition Against Human Trafficking.
"The girls aren't allowed to really look up," she says. "They're not allowed to go to the bathroom by themselves, they're stuck in the car - not allowed to get out and walk around. They're definitely not smiling and talking.
"If you see that kind of thing, and you think something could be going wrong you can call this number," she says.
"These are our children - they deserve to go home. No one should be allowed to purchase another person; no one should be allowed to sell another person."
The posters have to come down by March 2.
But a Senate bill being discussed right now would allow the state Department Of Transportation to put up their own signs and keep them there on a year-round basis.