"I was a college student on the track team when I got enslaved," said Shamere McKenzie, a former victim of human trafficking.McKenzie says she experienced the nightmare in 2005.
Now, she travels the country devoting her time to raising awareness about human trafficking to students.
"Modern day slavery is happening right here in the United States to our very own children. And for children, the average age is 13-years-old," she said.
McKenzie points out potential dangers and warning signs students need to be aware of when they are traveling.
"I was just on a cruise last summer in two different cities in Mexico. I had no clue half the time what people were saying. It's really important to be able to know the warning signs that are going to help us learn to protect ourselves," said student Alyssa Martin.
"It can happen to anyone and even in the United States. If you travel to other countries we just want people to know what to look out for," said student Liza Nalley.
People often equate human trafficking as problems in foregin countries like China and Thailand, but advocates say it's a growing problem in America.
"There's over 200,000 cases in the United States. Some people can sell for like $90 and a lot of them are kids," said student Sarah Easley. "Fifty percent are kids so I think that was the hardest thing for me. A lot of times we think about what's going on in other countries. But, it's happening right under our feet in the United States and many people don't know about it."
According to McKenzie, young girls are primarily the target because they are in demand by men who prey on potential victims.
To report possible cases of human trafficking you can call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at (888) 373-7888.
