ER nurse works to educate others about dangers of human trafficking
11/06/2024 10:00AM ● By Betsy Brewer Brantner
By Betsy Brewer Brantner
Contributing Writer
ACE, Anti-Human Trafficking Alliance of Oxford met on the third Saturday of the month in October, at the Oxford Senior Center, to continue the local fight against human trafficking.
In 2012, that group was formed by founding members Sister Barb Zurine, SSND; Sister Mary Ann Schroeder, SSND; Sister Joan Durkan, SSND; Mary McVey; Alice Pannebaker; and Peggy Ann Russell.
All of those founding members are deceased, except for Russell. She continues to carry that torch to light up the dark world of human trafficking.
When ACE was founded, many people in Oxford did not even have human trafficking on their radar as something to be concerned about. Unfortunately, 12 years later, people still struggle with believing that human trafficking happens in this country. It’s even harder for them to believe it happens in places like Oxford.
Sister Mary Irving, SSND was the guest speaker at the first meeting in 2012. She was a member of the Maryland Task Force Against Human Trafficking. Sitting in those meetings and listening to the horrifying statistics and tragic stories from survivors and educators is not for the faint of heart. It brings the strongest people to tears. However, as Irving said, “If they lived it, you can listen to it.”
Dianna Stuckey and Mary Miller soon joined Russell with the Oxford chapter, and took on roles of secretary and treasurer, respectively.
When asked if human trafficking occurs in our area, Russell said, “To think that it does not would be naive.”
According to Russell, the Polaris Project website, a map of crimes, shows “hot spots” along Route 1 from Philadelphia to Baltimore. Oxford sits twelve miles from Interstate 95 and one mile from Route 1.
Russell said, “Location places Oxford in the path of traffickers running vans of victims from one metropolitan area to another. Often vans move from one road to another if they sense they are being followed. Is it too much to imagine that one has stopped for gas or food in Oxford?”
She continued, “Once the small town with a vulnerable population is discovered, it is like a gold mine to be revisited for the gems that can be found.”
“Convincing stories of great jobs in the city, modeling possibilities, and a wink and a smile that says, 'You are beautiful, I am in love with you, come with me,' seem to work,” Russell explained.
On a crisp October day at the Oxford Senior Center, Tracey McFadien spoke of her efforts to educate those in the medical field about trafficking.
McFadien, a Registered Nurse, was an ER nurse for 40 years at Chester County Hospital. When she pursued her Masters Degree, she put together an educational program for nurses on human trafficking.
She said, “87.7 of rescued human trafficking victims admitted to seeking health care while trafficked, and it was never identified.”
That did not sit well with McFadien.
“I’ve become passionate about speaking about this and spoke at the Emergency Nursing Annual Conference,” she said. “I did an anti-human trafficking display at Chester County Hospital. Ironically, one person in leadership at that time didn’t believe trafficking was happening.”
McFadien was in the Master’s program at Jennersville Hospital. When they closed, she went to Chester County Hospital.
“I went to hear a speaker on human trafficking and then did research. I told my boss at the time I wanted to educate nurses on human trafficking,” she explained.
As they say, the rest is history. Fast forward and McFadien then went to a symposium at Las Vegas. When she got off the plane posters about human trafficking were everywhere.
“It takes all of us to stop human trafficking,” she said.
People are trafficked for sex and labor. It has been said that trafficking is more profitable than drugs because people can be sold over and over. And when they say people, they mean people of all ages—children and senior citizens, men and women.
McFadien continues to educate anyone who will listen. She has said she wonders how many victims came into the hospital for help and she never knew they were being trafficked. Her mission is to change that.
How can the general public help? They can watch for red flags. These include the following:
- Victims may work and live at the same place.
- A victim often lacks the freedom to leave their working or living conditions; they are often escorted when they travel.
- Victims are often kept under surveillance when they are taken somewhere.
- Victims may not even know their address.
- Victims may exhibit signs of abuse, such as bruises, cuts, burns, scars, prolonged lack of healthcare or malnourishment.
- Victims may exhibit fear, anxiety, depression, nervousness, hostility, flashbacks or drug/alcohol addiction, and commonly avoid eye contact.
- Victims may not be in control of their own money.
- Victims often have no, or few personal possessions. They frequently have no identifying documents, such as a driver’s license or passport.
- Victims may have their communication restricted or controlled, or have a third party translate for them.
- Victims may have inconsistencies in their story.
- Victims may have brands, scars, clothing, jewelry, or tattoos indicating someone else’s ownership.
- Victims may not admit that they are victims, and may not ask for help.
Please be aware that human trafficking is the illegal exploitation of a person. Anyone can be a victim of human trafficking, and it can occur in any U.S. community—cities, suburbs, and even rural areas. The FBI works human trafficking cases under its Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking program.
For more information on the Oxford ACE program call Peggy Ann Russell at 484-883-8272.
If you suspect human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-3737
888 or call 911.
Learn more about human trafficking at these websites:
