Operation Underground Railroad previews new documentary in Rexburg
REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) - Residents of Rexburg learned how they could join the fight against human trafficking Saturday.
Tim Ballard founded "Operation Underground Railroad" in December 2013.
His new documentary on human trafficking, "It's Happening Right Here", debuted at the Paramount 5 theatre in Rexburg Saturday.
"It is a problem here, it is happening right here," said Ballard. "There's by some estimates, up to 100 or 200,000 children in the United States were in the commercial sex trade. Right. And the United States is now in the top three, according to the U.S. State Department of Destination Countries, countries for human trafficking."
Experts say trafficking can and does happen in the biggest cities and the smallest communities.
The foundation's documentary details how in the first week of a new program law enforcement, assisted by Operation Underground Railroad, arrested several pedophiles and contributors to sex trafficking in one small town in California.
“This isn't just something that happens over there overseas, in Asia, Africa, Middle East," said Operation Underground Railroad international operations director Matt Osborne. "This happens in the United States. It happens in New York, Chicago. But it also happens in Rexburg, Idaho Falls.”
Students and residents who viewed the documentary were deeply moved.
“When it comes to, you know, all the fights that we're having," said BYU-I student Caleb Bower. "You know, just as a society today, like all the different opportunities that we have to get involved and make a difference, this just seems like one of the most important, if not the most important fight ever”
Members of the audience participated in a Q and A after the showing. Many of them asked for ways they could get involved.
According to Ballard, the documentary makers hope more people will use the knowledge they share to find their own solution to stop trafficking in their communities.
“You have this knowledge now. I think you have an idea. You're going to run it. We're going to support it. That's what we hope comes out of these things,” said Ballard.
For more information on Operation Underground Railroad, visit ourrescue.org.
