Second Annual Anti-slavery Walk More than Doubles Success from Prior Year

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 1,900 people are expected to gather on the National Mall Saturday to support the modern abolition movement, making the gathering the largest anti-slavery demonstration of its type in the District's history.

The organization DC Stop Modern Slavery (DC SMS) will host its second annual DC walk on the National Mall from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. to raise awareness about human trafficking and how to end it. The event will include a 5K (3.1 mile) walk, live music, information resource fair and participation of trafficking survivors who will address the crowd.

This year's walk has already attracted over 1,900 registered walkers and raised over $88,000, more than doubling the 700 participants and $40,000 raised in 2009.

Seventy-five percent of the funds raised will be distributed to non-profit organizations that work to combat human trafficking. Another 15 percent will be set aside to support next year's walk efforts. The remaining 10 percent will be put toward a fund for future anti-trafficking efforts in Washington.

"The purpose of planning this walk is to raise awareness about human trafficking and to demonstrate that we won't tolerate slavery anywhere," said Jessica Li, lead organizer of the walk.

DC SMS is thankful that several individuals and organizations have supported the walk by participating as sponsors, including ICF International, World Hope International, Soroptomist International, the Home Foundation, Bill Smith Group, John & Mary Lee Malcolm, In My Backyard Foundation, Keany Produce, the Protection Project, and Prime Policy Group.

Modern slavery, known as human trafficking, is one of the fastest-growing illicit industries in the world, with an estimated 27 million people enslaved worldwide. Trafficking can exist in many forms, including forced labor, involuntary domestic servitude and child sex trafficking, among other types.

DC SMS began in 2004 as a small group of concerned citizens, and in fewer than six years, it has grown into an action-oriented organization of volunteers with more than 850 members devoted to combating modern-day slavery. For more information, please visit http://walk.stopmodernslavery.org.

SOURCE DC Stop Modern Slavery

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