Vanguard hosts event to pray for victims of human trafficking

Vanguard University opened its campus Saturday to men and women to pray for victims of labor and sex trafficking.

The Costa Mesa college’s annual Pray for Freedom event welcomed guests to the on-campus Newport Mesa Church.

The occasion brought together many Christian community members — not for sermons or speeches, but for prayer.

Each year, the event is presented by the university’s Global Center for Women and Justice and the Faith Alliance Against Slavery and Trafficking, a coalition of Christian organizations dedicated to eradicating human trafficking.

The Global Center for Women and Justice acts as an educational resource, presenting conferences and seminars that address violence against women, as well as gender and diversity, the role of the clergy in addressing family violence and other issues.