End It Gilmer

We now have flyers available if anyone would be interested in spreading the word! If anyone has local businesses or want to use the flyers in any other way please do not hesitate to send us a message!

I have some thoughts and resources I want to share from this morning's END IT GILMER event. There will be another event in the Fall, please go. You will be gla...d you did. It was also live-streamed on their page. I wasn't really sure what to expect. In the back of my head, I was wondering what will my attendance really accomplish. This inspired me to be a curious observer where ever I go. And to not be afraid to ask questions when something seems off. We heard story after story of just something as simple as approaching someone to ask if they are ok...being the catalyst that saved a precious life or broke a generational cycle! So my main take aways, 1. Put fear aside, observe, ask questions. And if needed, contact someone. You may need to call 911 if there is imminent danger. You may need to contact GBI 1-800-597-TIPS(8477), or the National Human Trafficking hotline 1-800-373-7888. Other agencies are the North Georgia Crisis Network and the End Slavery GA (based in Rome). 2. Teach yourself, your children, and the community. Grooming! (Groomed by Samantha Leonard) This is when a perpetrator gains the respect and trust of parents and kids in order to gain access to and eventually abuse their victims. The perpetrator on average takes 15 months to groom a victim. They are looking for a vulnerable situation and victim. This can't happen if we are looking for it and know the signs. It can't happen to our children if our children have been empowered by knowledge and awareness. Great free resource is: https://www.a21.org/content/education/grc2u8 3. WOW, lots is being done!!! 2 nurses are getting their SANE training so victims will not have to travel far. Another has gotten his Private Investigators License. Volunteers are putting together personal care packages for victims, donating suitcases, clothing, etc, and getting it into the hands of frontline workers with the GBI and other local organizations. There are all kinds of services that are now communicating and working together that have been brought together specifically by End it Gilmer. 4. This is a real problem. It affects every socio-economic level, every culture, every county (rural, suburban), every country. You have probably come into contact with both a perpetrator and a victim at some point. End It Gilmer See more

Introducing our head Speaker, Samantha Leonard. Samantha is an accomplished author, researcher and storyteller. As a survivor of sexual abuse, Samantha is passi...onate about addressing sexual assault and the power of connecting with survivors and communities. She is especially knowledgeable on the topic of childhood grooming and how charm and compassion are used to hide crimes and shame survivors into silence. Through the power of narrative, her book, Groomed: Shining a Light on the Unheard Narrative of Childhood Sexual Abuse, is a live testimonial to life after abuse and provides hope for those that feel alone. Ms. Leonard is currently a Master’s of Social Work student and a intern therapist for children in the fostercare and adoption system, committed to helping survivors find their voice and play a part in changing the culture around sexual violence by educating and inspiring communities. Samantha spent 4 years serving on her college Sexual Offense Support Crisis Hotline listening and validating survivors’ experiences. Her dream is to spend her life connecting with others and to make the world a more loving place through social work writing, speaking and relationships. Spring Seminar Saturday, April 10, 2021 11:00am-2:00pm #EndItGilmer #EndTrafficking #EducateYourself #BeTheOne #BeTheLight #SpringSeminar #Grommed

Our introduction speaker, Debbie Crumbly, is a founding member and currently serves as the Executive Director of End Slavery Georgia, Inc. She has a 28 year career as a Registered Nurse and has served 24 years as a Co-Pastor of a non-denominational church. Her passion to see people’s lives changed for the better fueled the dream of creating an organization that worked specifically to advocate and educate the public on the plight of sex trafficking that is all around us. Knowl...edge is power. That dream continued to grow into an organization that also works directly with survivors of sex trafficking. Initially thinking ESG would do it’s part in Georgia, it now serves clients from all over the united states and some who have been trafficked internationally. In March of 2018 ESG opened its first Safe House for survivors. Join us April 10, 2021 from 11am- 2pm in person or stream online! #EndItGilmer #BeTheLight #ItStartsWithOne #EndTrafficking #EducateYourself #stoptrafficking #SpringSeminar #EndIt

"But no matter how much evil I see, I think it's important for everyone to understand that there is much more light than darkness." Robert Uttaro #EndItGilmer #EndTrafficking #BeTheOne #EducateYourself