CULLMAN, Ala. – The Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force is working to rebuild its membership and bring renewed attention to human trafficking in the area, and members gathered Wednesday, Oct. 7, to hear from local advocates and Cullman County Sheriff-elect Chad Whaley.
“I’m Shirley Arnett, the secretary for this group, Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force. We’re trying to build it back up to create awareness,” Arnett told The Tribune before the meeting.
Arnett said the group started in 2015 but lost momentum in recent years.
“Since 2021 or 22, it sort of slowly went away, and we’re trying to get it back up because we need awareness,” she said. “You see all the stories every day. Multiple stories come up on your feed, and it’s very important that we have awareness of what’s going on around here.”
She added, “We’re going to have several speakers today who’s going to share with us ways to help.”
Speakers and updates
Scheduled speakers included Trudi Rollins, an advocate with the nonprofit Camille’s Place; Melissa Hera; and Whaley. Terri LaPointe joined by phone. Sherrie Saunders opened the meeting with a welcome and prayer.
Members reviewed the group’s activities since its July meeting. The task force launched a web page, www.AlabamaAgainstTrafficking.com, and set up an awareness display at the HOPE 5K “Running for Survivors” on Sept. 12, benefiting Camille’s Place. Members also took part in the Cullman County Fair Parade on Sept. 26 to raise awareness.
The group is still looking for churches willing to host a movie night showing “Still Hope,” a Birdie Box film. Members are also visiting town council meetings across the county, including Holly Pond, Vinemont and Baileyton, and are seeking more volunteers to attend those meetings.
Looking ahead, the task force is asking members to sign up for shifts at its Cullman County Fair booth, with entry passes provided, and is planning a proclamation against human trafficking in January, which is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month.
Apps parents should know about
Among the materials shared at the meeting was a brochure from the office of Cullman County District Attorney Champ Crocker titled “17 Apps Parents Should Know About.” The brochure warns that many popular apps can expose children to strangers, explicit content, bullying or grooming, and that teens often get around age limits by faking their age.
The apps listed include Telegram, Snapchat, Kik, Whisper, Bumble, Live.Me, Calculator#, TikTok, MeetMe, WhatsApp, Grindr, Skout, Badoo, Tinder, Yubo, Hoop, Discord and Roblox.
The brochure notes that some apps, such as Snapchat, Whisper and Live.Me, can share a user’s location, while “secret” apps like Calculator# are used to hide photos, contacts and videos. On gaming platforms such as Roblox and Discord, chat and voice features can expose kids to strangers and to people trying to obtain personal information.
“Parents should monitor games, chats, and who their child is interacting with,” said Arnett.
Get involved
The task force welcomes new members and volunteers. For more information, visit www.AlabamaAgainstTrafficking.com.
The Cullman County District Attorney’s Office is located at 500 Second Ave. SW, Room 204, in Cullman and can be reached at 256-736-2800 or www.cullmanda.org.
If you suspect human trafficking, call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. In an emergency, call 911.
