Finally, I come to the last notable activity that we as a team have been engaged in for several months. For some time you may have seen facebook posts or perhaps an email or two talking about a campaign our Rome City Team took part in this month.For those unaware, from October 1st through the 18th, our team (along with many other groups around Europe) partnered with the European Freedom Network to launch a social media campaign designed to draw attention to the issue of human trafficking in Europe. The campaign’s main focus for the first 17 days of October was to heighten awareness of what freedom means to each of us. Through several social media mediums, people were encouraged to post pictures or quotes that encapsulates what freedom means to them. Then “like”, “share”, “comment” and “tag” other posts thereby spreading the word and gaining momentum until October 18th – the official European Anti-Human Trafficking Day.

Heather and Allie (team members) worked hard to generate interest through posting photos via facebook and Instagram. And the rest of the team pooled our creativity and resources to prepare for our Big Event to take place on the 18th.

Because some of our team had a connection with a Christian Italian actor, we decided to ask him to put together a short street drama that could be performed in several piazzas. He and his troupe did a fantastic job of presenting the horror of buying and selling humans. We also had people wearing sandwich boards announcing a free screening of the anti-human trafficking documentary “Nefarious” that evening. The dramas were held in two large, highly-visible, very popular piazzas; Piazza del Popolo and Piazza di Spagna (where the Spanish steps are located) and the idea was to try to entice people to “follow” us from one piazza to another until we ended up outside of Rome Baptist Church on Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina where the final drama would be staged. This was strategically planned because we showed the film “Nefarious” at the church right after the last drama. While the first two dramas were being performed, Heather and I (Elaine) created chalk art in Piazza San Lorenzo in Lucina. Heather outlined the phrase (in Italian, of course) “Real men don’t buy women” (I veri uomini non comprano le donne). There were also huge arrows pointing the way to Rome Baptist Church on the piazza, announcing the free film that evening. As we were working, passersby became curious, many stopping to ask what we were doing. We were able to talk with several people — not only about the need to end human trafficking but also about another social disease plaguing Rome; domestic abuse.

There was no way of knowing, going into all of this, how many people would respond — more so how many people would attend the screening. So we were absolutely delighted when between 60 and 70 people showed up for the movie. A questionnaire was handed out prior to the start of the film and the audience was instructed to fill out a portion, but keep the rest of the questions for after the film. Everyone filled out and handed in their questionnaires after the film and we heard many comments. From what we were told, it is clear the film had a profound effect on the hearts of those there.

In these ways we are attempting to bring a growing awareness of the issue of human trafficking to the citizens of Rome — little by little. It is a large city so it will take time. But we have time and will continue to show the film, talk to people, try to generate interest in preventing and even eliminating the evil of human trafficking and sexual slavery in Rome and certainly most important, we will continue to reach out to the girls and women who have been lured from their homes with the promise of a bright future only to find themselves in a hell they cannot escape.