Dabney Duncan, 16, is tackling the tough topic of human trafficking for her Girl Scout Gold Award project.
"No one my age knows what it is and how serious it is," Dabney told 11Alive's Jennifer Leslie. "There's a need for more knowledge and that awareness."
A sophomore at Dunwoody High School, Dabney is organizing an event aimed at teens and parents called SHINE A LIGHT: A Forum on Human Sex Trafficking. It will be held Sunday, November 4, at 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Dunwoody United Methodist Church on Mt. Vernon Road.
"When I started looking into the issue, I barely knew what human trafficking was," Dabney explained. "I definitely had no idea that it was happening in Dunwoody."
In May, Dunwoody Police conducted a prostitution sting and arrested 13 people. Two people were also charged with pimping and human trafficking in connection with the discovery of two 17-year-old girls.
"The forum will focus on what to look for, how to protect yourself, what to do if you think someone might be in danger and what we can all do to stop human sex trafficking," Dabney added.
Speakers will include a human sex trafficking survivor, Wellspring Living CEO Mary Frances Bowley, FBI Special Victims Agent Amanda Gulli, Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan, State Senators Renee Unterman and Fran Millar.
The forum is free and open the public, but registration is encouraged.
