National Alliance on Mental Illness speaks out about the correlation between Domestic Violence and Human Trafficking

Published: Apr. 25, 2022 at 8:07 PM EDT
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TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Ashley Darrington, Nora Pryba, Whitney Wade and Sarah Schulte are some of the most recent domestic violence victims in Toledo. In response to the recent spike in domestic violence cases, the National Alliance on Mental Illness is teaming up with the Mercy Health Toledo Trauma Center to host presentations called “When Domestic Violence Hits Home” aimed at educating the community.

Saturday, April 23rd was the first of four workshops, and attendees learned about the signs of domestic violence and the lasting impact these unhealthy relationships have. The next is happening Saturday, April 30th, and will discuss the connection between domestic violence and human trafficking.

“All of the research and statistics show that youth who grow up in family violence or domestic violence taking place in the home or in the background makes them automatically more susceptible to human trafficking in their future,” says OraLee Macklenar, the supervisor of Mercy Health Toledo Trauma Recovery Center.

The presentations are targeted toward teenagers and their parents. “Ages 11 to 17, those who are most vulnerable, are highly at risk for predators online,” says Macklenar. “Predators will masquerade as a teen’s friend or as a teenager when perhaps on the other side it is truly a predator lurking who is maybe a 47-year-old, but they will pose as a 13- or 15- or 17-year-old.”

Macklenar encourages everyone to come to the workshops, not just teenagers and their parents, because knowledge really is power when it comes to domestic violence and human trafficking.

“I think the best way to protect yourself from things like this is to get educated, you really need to be informed,” says Macklenar. “The more that parents are educated and informed, the more empowered they are going to be.”

If you didn’t attend last Saturday’s workshop and you can’t make the next one either, there are still two more workshops after that. The next one after this coming weekend is on Saturday, May 7th discussing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that surface from domestic violence.

The final presentation is on Saturday, May 14th talking about empowerment and safety planning. All the workshops are from 10 a.m. until noon at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo. There should be enough room for everyone who wants to attend, but to save your spot, RSVP to NAMI at 419-243-1119.

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