No Boundaries International (NBI) will host a presentation during activity period Feb. 15 for juniors and seniors and Feb. 22 for freshmen and sophomores.

This past summer, Student Council officers decided as a state to make human trafficking their project for 2018. The presentation will focus on the reality of human trafficking.

“The goal is to raise awareness, educate people on the issue and to make people aware it is happening in our town,” Student Council president Sydney Shaller said. “It’s not just something that’s far away, but it’s nearby.”

Human trafficking is a multi-billion dollar industry enslaving approximately 20.9 million people globally.

“Most people affected by human trafficking are younger,” Shaller said. “I feel like even though it’s a harsh topic, it’s something they need to be aware of.”

Although human trafficking is associated mainly with third-world countries and the Middle East, approximately 15,000 people are trafficked in the United States during a year. At least 3,000 of those people are likely taken through Texas.

“Human trafficking is definitely a global issue,” Shaller said. “What most people don’t realize in this area is it actually happens locally. Downtown Amarillo is a high human trafficking area, so it’s getting awareness and realizing that this does happen around here.”

NBI is a nonprofit ministry, located in both Amarillo and the Oklahoma City area, dedicated to stopping human trafficking in the Oklahoma and Texas areas. The organization provides help to those who have been victims of trafficking and those at-risk.

“It definitely affects people’s lives,” Shaller said. “Some people are stuck in it for a really long time, and some are lucky enough to get out. Raising awareness will increase the number of people who have a chance to move on and live a normal life.”