Human trafficking involves taking away a person’s freedom through threats, force, or manipulation, yet exploitation often remains hidden on the Central Coast, according to the Rotary Club of South Santa Maria.
The U.S. State Department’s 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report indicates that the federally funded National Human Trafficking Hotline received reports of 12,130 potential trafficking situations nationwide during fiscal year 2024. Of those cases, 56% involved sex trafficking and 17% involved labor trafficking.
In recognition of Human Trafficking Awareness Month, a Human Trafficking Awareness Forum will be held this Thursday, Jan. 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Santa Maria Country Club, located at 505 W. Waller Lane.
The Rotary Club of South Santa Maria will host the fourth annual forum, bringing together survivor advocates, service providers and local officials to share resources and discuss how human trafficking affects the Central Coast.
“Areas of Santa Maria and Orcutt are greatly affected. Our kids are significantly at risk, especially those in low-income and immigrant households,” said Alia Azariah, a survivor leader with the Safe House Project who is scheduled to participate in the forum.
Azariah explained that traffickers often target what is missing in a young person’s life: stability, attention or basic needs. They leverage emotional vulnerability to build trust, isolate victims from others and exploit them. She said social media has accelerated that process, allowing traffickers to identify and groom victims without meeting them in person.
“Parents love their kids, but many are working 16-hour days and just don’t know what’s happening online,” Azariah said. “Some families are coming from places where they didn’t even have running water. How are they supposed to know what Discord or Roblox is or that it could be dangerous?”
Azariah added that one of the most common misconceptions about trafficking is that once someone exits, the harm ends. In reality, survivors often face long-term trauma and need consistent support to rebuild safety and stability. The Central Coast has a growing demand for services because so many people in the area are affected.
Law enforcement officials say the Central Coast’s location along major travel corridors can contribute to trafficking activity, with communities sometimes serving as transit points for exploitation. For survivors or those seeking support, the Safe House Project, a national nonprofit organization, connects trafficking survivors to services across the country.
The forum will open with remarks from Santa Barbara County District Attorney John T. Savrnoch, followed by updates from the Santa Barbara County Human Trafficking Task Force. Scheduled presentations include Megan Rheinschild, director of the Victim-Witness Assistance Program, and Jeff Shaffer of the SAFE Santa Barbara County Advisory Team, along with an overview of local funding and ongoing anti-trafficking efforts.
Sally Cook, one of the co-founders of Hope Refuge Campus, now known as the Olive Crest Hope Refuge Campus, runs one of the licensed residential facilities in California that serves minors exiting trafficking situations. The campus provides care for girls ages 12 to 18, most of whom arrive through probation or social services.
“This work isn’t easy,” Cook said. “It nearly broke us. But I don’t believe we’ll ever regret choosing to intervene. Every survivor, every single one, is worth it.”
Located at the top of Refugio Road, the remote campus helps reduce the risk of survivors running away, a common coping mechanism among trafficking victims. Cook said many survivors do not initially see themselves as victims because of prolonged grooming, which can last six months to a year. Traffickers often present themselves as romantic partners, meeting emotional needs before gradually exploiting them.
“The survivor internalizes blame,” Cook said. “She doesn’t see herself as a victim; she just wants back what felt like love.”
Because trauma can appear as behavioral issues, Cook said many survivors are misrouted into systems that do not address trafficking-related trauma, leading some to run again, often back to their traffickers. To prevent that cycle, each girl receives a full clinical assessment within three days of arrival, followed by individualized treatment that includes therapy, daily group counseling, on-site education, substance-use support, mentorship and life-skills development.
According to Cook, 75% of participants graduate high school or become eligible to graduate while in the program.
While much of the conversation around trafficking centers on girls, advocates say exploitation also affects boys and men. Male survivors are often referred through juvenile halls or probation systems before receiving support. Advocates also note that LGBTQ+ youth face a higher risk, though many boys trafficked as minors do not identify as LGBTQ+ at the time of exploitation.
This year’s keynote, “Boys Are Trafficked Too – Seeing the Unseen,” will focus on the often-overlooked issue of male trafficking victims and will be delivered by Russell G. Wilson, a survivor and public speaker.
The forum will also feature a parent’s perspective from Denise Lorona, whose child survived trafficking and abduction.
The event will conclude with a support-services panel featuring representatives from organizations including the North County Rape Crisis & Child Protection Center, Central Coast Rescue Mission Alliance and Dignity Health’s Medical Safe Haven Clinic.
The forum is open to the public. The cost to attend is $35 and includes lunch. More information is available at HumanTraffickingCC2026.eventbrite.com or by contacting co-chair Terri Lee Coleman at (805) 878-5732.
