DECATUR, Ga. – Most residents of DeKalb County tremendously benefit from the vibrancy, booming business and entertainment industries, and access to the world that metro Atlanta offers. However, those same attractive qualities also attract a criminal element that often goes unnoticed to most – human trafficking, often called modern day slavery.

The DeKalb County Board of Health, in partnership with Agnes Scott College will start the community conversation during Human Trafficking: What Everyone Needs to Know. The summit will take place on Oct. 10, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the campus of Agnes Scott College in Campbell Hall’s Frances Graves Auditorium. Speakers will include representatives from the US Department of Health and Human Services, DeKalb County’s Office of the District Attorney, and survivors of human trafficking.

“Human Trafficking is yet another critical public health issue that demands our attention and action,” said DeKalb County District Health Director S. Elizabeth Ford, M.D., M.B.A.  “The summit’s goal is to increase awareness regarding the issue, to share resources for those who have been trafficked, and to provide opportunities for those who want to be involved in decreasing the incidences of trafficking in our communities.”

Human trafficking is big business in Georgia, generating nearly $300 million a year.

On average, approximately 100 adolescent females are sexually exploited each night in Georgia.

For more information about the Human Trafficking Summit, including sponsorship opportunities, visit the event page or e-mail Ford at sandra.ford@dph.ga.gov.