Setting women free

Stephanie Pollaro and Wendy Hicks witnessed human trafficking for the first time in December 2004, during a group trip to Mumbai, India, organized by their church. Both women knew what trafficking was but not first-hand.

Human trafficking, a criminal activity in which people are recruited, harbored, transported, bought or kidnapped to serve an exploitative purpose such as forced labor or sexual slavery, is prevalent in Mumbai, and even accepted among certain castes.

“It’s an atrocious thing,” Pollaro said. “Victims are often sold by family members and people they trust. For instance, a young girl — the average victim is 14 years old — will think she’s going to get some sort of job, when in fact she’s been sold into prostitution.”

Often raped, beaten and broken down spiritually, she said, these young women have nowhere to turn if they’re lucky enough to escape. They can’t return home to the people who betrayed them, and they have no means of survival where they are.

Horrified and compelled to lend a helping hand, the Orange County natives abandoned careers in academia to start International Sanctuary, known as iSanctuary, a nonprofit based in Mumbai that is dedicated to helping exploited victims, educating the public about human trafficking and its prevention, and providing survivors with the means to be reintegrated as valued members of a community.

ISanctuary cares for survivors once they’ve been rescued, providing young women with counseling, education and life skills.

They teach them how to make jewelry, which serves as a means of income.

As human trafficking becomes a burgeoning problem in the U.S., with Southern California being no exception, the founders and their group of dedicated volunteers hope to replicate their efforts in Orange County.

“Between 14,000 and 17,500 victims are trafficked into the U.S. each year,” Hicks said. “It’s a shocking thing to see in your own backyard.

“The more awareness that is created, the more rescues will take place.”

While Pollaro resides in Mumbai, Hicks will run the local branch.

To initiate this effort, the organization will hold an iSanctuary Gala from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the Sawdust Art Festival, which donated their grounds for the event.

The event will feature a guest speaker and survivor of human trafficking, an interactive gallery with informational and educational displays, a silent auction, raffle, live entertainment, works of art by local students and jewelry created by survivors.

Proceeds will benefit the organization by providing the survivors’ salaries, hiring counselors and educators, providing medical care and scholarships.

“We will teach women here in the States to make greeting cards instead of jewelry,” Pollaro said.

They are also seeking volunteers to teach English and computer skills, people with import-export business experience and jewelry designers and metal smiths who can lend their expertise in the trade.

“We have an amazing group of volunteers from all walks of life, that works so hard to help support the people who are found,” she said. “They’ve all given in such amazing ways, all because they believe in this cause. We hope others will do the same.”

If You Go

What: iSanctuary gala to raise awareness about human trafficking

Where: Sawdust Art Festival, 935 Laguna Canyon Road

When: 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday

Information: Tickets are $25 per person, $75 VIP (includes reserved seating, bottle service and an exclusive piece of jewelry made by a survivor). To buy tickets or learn more about the cause, visit www.isanctuary.org or www.isanctuarygala.org.