Human trafficking a growing problem

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - Children read about slavery in history books but the government says there are actually more slaves today then ever before.

Modern day slavery is called human trafficking and it's happening around the world, even in Hampton Roads.

Beth Cross, Director of the HER Shelter in Portsmouth, told WAVY.com about a victim she helped.

"She was under the impression this was her boyfriend and what started out with a lot of, 'I love you,' and 'I would do anything for you,' turned into, 'Well, if you love me, you'd do anything for me,'" Cross said.

Cross said that young woman was sold to a gang that ran her up and down the east coast through North Carolina, Virginia and Washington, D.C. for seven months.

"She was completely disoriented, she didn't know where or who to call for help," Cross said.

A similar situation happened to Tanya Street, who agreed to tell her story to WAVY.com.

"Of course [I wouldn't have been with him] had I known up front," Street said. "If he were to say, 'Hey I'm a pimp would you like to come work for me?' No, but he gained my trust he gained my love he played his role and I played right into it."

Street told WAVY.com it happens to good girls more often then you think. She met the man who would become her pimp on a blind date. She says the man treated her like a queen and they dated for months and even started planning a life together.

"Things started happening, like I would lose money or just small things that led up to finally to being beaten, threatened. I was no longer the Queen," Street said.

The man drove Street and several other woman from city to city. Some nights, Street said she had sex with 20 or 30 men. Street said she often didn't know where she was but she knew what she was doing was wrong.

The FBI is working with state and local law enforcement to draw attention to this growing problem. Special Agent Will Winfrey told WAVY.com, "In the Hampton Roads area, we found that it's mainly forced labor."

Winfrey said foreign nationals come to the Beach with the promise of a job and a chance for a better life but end up in the slave trade. He says this is why law enforcement and non-profit organizations are launching awareness campaigns.

"We're hoping to not find more cases, but at the same time, we'll probably drum up more cases in this area, unfortunately," Winfrey said.

Winfrey says the one thing victims have in common is that they are all vulnerable and that puts a lot of people and children at risk.

Christ's Fellowship Building on Victory Boulevard held an awareness event Tuesday, Oct. 23.