New York, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 07/30/2020 --In recognition of World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, ECPAT-USA, the nation's leader in combating child exploitation and trafficking, is hosting a bike ride that will highlight trafficking "hotspots" in every corner of the city. The ECPAT-USA 5 Boro Survivor Solidarity Ride will be held on August 1, 2020, and will follow a 22-mile route to sites identified by members of our Survivors' Council as locations where they were trafficked. The ride will serve to honor the ECPAT-USA Survivors' Council, as well as other survivors of child trafficking and exploitation.
Starting in the Bronx and ending on Staten Island, the ECPAT-USA 5 Boro Survivor Solidarity Ride will pass through all boroughs of New York City and span a wide range of neighborhoods. As many people fail to realize that trafficking happens throughout New York City, the ECPAT-USA 5 Boro Survivor Solidarity Ride will demonstrate that no community is immune to the effects of sexual exploitation.
"We are inspired by the bravery of our Survivors' Council leaders every day and are honored to amplify their stories through the 5 Boro Survivor Solidarity Ride," said Lori L. Cohen, Executive Director of ECPAT-USA. "This journey will be a stark reminder that trafficking happens in our own neighborhoods. We are guided by the narratives of individual Survivors' Council members, fully recognizing that their experiences are tragically mirrored by the many thousands of individuals and families harmed by child sex trafficking and exploitation."
As a 17-year old, Survivors' Council Member Shanifa was sold for sex in all five boroughs of New York City. "Trafficking has no address. It's everywhere, any nook and cranny that you could possibly think of," she said. "People need to realize that this is not far away, it's in your backyard, front lawn bus stop, all around you."
About ECPAT-USA
ECPAT-USA is the leading anti-child trafficking organization in the United States seeking to end the commercial sexual exploitation of children through awareness, advocacy, policy, and legislation. ECPAT-USA is a member of ECPAT International, a network of organizations in more than 100 countries with one common mission: to eliminate the sexual exploitation of children around the world. For more information, visit www.ecpatusa.org.
ECPAT-USA Announces 5 Boro Survivor Solidarity Ride in New York City