Based upon a Jan. 29 report out of Denver, missing Colorado teen Kara Nichols' mom fears her daughter's disappearance is due to human trafficking.
Julia Nichols thinks this may be what happened to her daughter because Kara was involved in drugs and prostitution according to Westword Blog.com. And engaging in those high risk practices can make a young teen more at risk for violent crimes.
The recent revelation by Kara Nichols' mother that the teen was involved in those practices was a reluctant one for obvious reasons, with the mother of the teen explaining that, "We were reluctant to portray our daughter as just a no good person that no one should care about," by revealing what she had been doing.
The Human Trafficking Task Force of Southern Colorado states on their website that when it comes to those who traffic in other humans they don't limit themselves to prostitutes or drug users; they abduct children, teens and adults from all walks of life. So Kara Nichols' disappearance may, or may not, have even played a role in her abduction.
January is the designated Human Trafficking Awareness Month per the Human Trafficking Task Force of Southern Colorado, and the organization is committed to promoting their 52 days of Human Trafficking Awareness and Advocacy through mid-February so that other parents like Kara's will realize that their loved one isn't to blame for a trafficker's actions, regardless of their lifestyle at the time.
Julia Nichols says that she and her family feel re-victimized by how the media has handled her daughter's disappearance, stating to KRDO.com that she feels that "our daughter is blamed for her mistakes and her troubles, and our story isn't nice enough to be told by the media."
Aubrey Terry, of the HTTF group in Colorado, says she understands better than most how Julia Nichols feels, as she was a teen runaway who entered that culture in her past before coming to work for the advocacy organization. She says that it can be a common perspective of others to blame a victim based upon their lifestyle.
Terry says it is the predominate position in society that "there are qualifications on being a victim," and that there is a mindset in the public that "we only want to protect and help those who are worthy," KRDO.com reported.
Kara Nichols, regardless of her lifestyle, remains a missing person and a potential victim of foul play. And that is one reason why the Human Trafficking Task Force continues to advocate on the behalf of those victimized through trafficking.
And it is why they will culminate that effort at the state capital in February during their Advocate Day event.
Participate in the trafficking event on Facebook, partner with other HTTF organizations involved, like "Let Them Have Faces" or sign up to attend the victim's assistance program presentation being made by Alicia Wagner, Victim Specialist for the FBI.
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