Stalking, human trafficking, and slavery - Guam is no stranger to these problems. The Guam Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Family Violence is hosting community outreach events to keep the public in the know.

It's tough to image such heinous acts showing up on our doorstep. But the threat is real. 2022 statistics show that 24.9 million people worldwide were victims of human trafficking, 50 million for modern slavery, and 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men experienced stalking in the United States alone. On our shores, local authorities report 86 stalking-related cases from 2021 to today - a crime that, unfortunately, could include domestic and sexual violence.

For human trafficking and slavery locally, coalition executive director Cynthia Cabot says it happens. But she admits recording it is a challenge, noting, “Oftentimes, we overlook situations where there is a transaction. Say, for example, in exchange for sex or due to fraud, being forced or coercion—there is that exchange.”

Transactional situations that may look like this: “For minors, if someone gives you a cell phone in exchange for sex, then that is construed or can be seen in terms of human trafficking. But we are not recognizing it as such; we are not reporting it as such.”

She adds what's clear is that children and our man'amko are most vulnerable to human trafficking, slavery, and stalking. But others can still become a target, as well.

It's why this January, for Human Trafficking, Slavery, and Stalking Prevention Month, the coalition's project coordinator, Amalia Duenas, shares, “We are putting on a webinar comping up January 31 through February 3, and that will be our addressing stalking webinar. We’ll touch on topics such as stalking risk assessment, the use of technology for stalking, persecution, and stalking in human trafficking, and also education and school awareness to stalking.”

To join the event, register at guamcoalition.org. And to find out other ways to get help whenever needed - check out pacificregionresources.org.