When Dimitry Shaposhnikov, CEO of DS Xpress and FrandMe.com, heard Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle speak about human trafficking, he knew he had to do something to help. Dimitry volunteered his company, DS Xpress, to create a new website to help Ms. Rundle’s Human Trafficking team spread the message about this growing crime and how to identify it. He worked closely Ms. Rundle’s Team and today, that website is up and running.
“I have two young daughters, and when I learned that 67% of the young girls stolen from Miami-Dade streets are local, I was shocked. These young girls are drugged and then become the property of these modern-day ‘slave traders. I just wanted to help in some way!” he said.
According to Ms. Rundle, Miami is Ground Zero, number one in the state, for this violent and criminal activity. Contrary to the more common image of the victims of sex trafficking — women lured from the Philippines, South and Central America and other regions — here the majority of dehumanized children, young women and young men, are domestic victims from South Florida and beyond.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, call the Miami-Dade Human Trafficking Hotline at 305-350-5567 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. You can also text BeFree (233733) or do a live online chat.
