Do You See It?

Students Create Works of Art to Illustrate Facets of Human Trafficking

Student artwork on display at the “Human Trafficking: Do You See It?” exhibit hosted by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition.

Student artwork on display at the “Human Trafficking: Do You See It?” exhibit hosted by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition.

April 24, 2014

It’s a crime that is foreign to most of us, but for some, unfortunately, it’s a terrible reality—human trafficking. To explore the aspects and effects of the crime, 40 young artists on the First Coast recently participated in an art exhibition titled “Human Trafficking: Do You See It?” Middle and high school students were invited to create two- or three-dimensional artwork depicting any facet of the crime—from the horror to the hope that exists when communities work to expose and fight it. The Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition hosted the show at The Museum off Boulevard Center Drive in Jacksonville, Florida. 

Student artwork on display at the “Human Trafficking: Do You See It?” exhibit hosted by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition. Some artwork at the exhibit focuses on the positive potentials that can come from an extremely negative situation.

Some artwork at the exhibit focuses on the positive potentials that can come from an extremely negative situation.

Student artwork on display at the “Human Trafficking: Do You See It?” exhibit hosted by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition. Student artist Corey Kreisel (right) high-fives Lori Armstrong, co-chair of the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition. |

Student artist Corey Kreisel (right) high-fives Lori Armstrong, co-chair of the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition.

Leaning in to get a closer look at a sculpture in metal, Carrie Simpson takes in some of the student artwork at an art exhibit hosted by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition.

Leaning in to get a closer look at a sculpture in metal, Carrie Simpson takes in some of the student artwork at the exhibit.

During a recent opening reception this April, members of the coalition mingled with parents, community members, and representatives from various law enforcement agencies, including the Jacksonville Field Office of the FBI. Viewing the artwork that ranged from life-sized sculptures to small graphite drawings, guests also had the opportunity to speak to some of the artists to hear the inspiration and thought behind each piece and engage in conversation about the crime.

“If we can educate the community about human trafficking, then we can restore a sense of hope and help victims to become whole again,” said Michelle Thorne, victim specialist for FBI Jacksonville.

Student artwork on display at the “Human Trafficking: Do You See It?” exhibit hosted by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition. Student artwork in a variety of styles depicts various facets of human trafficking.
Student artwork on display at the “Human Trafficking: Do You See It?” exhibit hosted by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition. Student artwork in a variety of styles depicts various facets of human trafficking.

Student artwork in a variety of styles depicts various facets of human trafficking.

Student artwork on display at the “Human Trafficking: Do You See It?” exhibit hosted by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition. Student artwork in a variety of styles depicts various facets of human trafficking.

Human trafficking is a serious crime that the FBI is committed to investigating. This modern-day slavery generates billions of dollars of profit each year, and, because of that, it has become one of the world’s fastest-growing criminal activities. Many of the FBI’s human trafficking cases are based on information from our partners and from criminal sources, but we also can and do receive tips from the public. If you believe you may have information about a potential trafficking situation or are the victim of a trafficking situation, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at (888) 373-7888 or contact the FBI.

At the “Human Trafficking: Do You See It?” exhibit hosted by the Northeast Florida Human Trafficking Coalition, awards of distinction were presented to several students whose work caught the judges’ eyes. More importantly, the process of creating and showing their artwork gave students an opportunity to think about human trafficking and help raise awareness of its prevalence.

Awards of distinction were presented to several students whose work caught the judges’ eyes. More importantly, the process of creating and showing their artwork gave students an opportunity to think about human trafficking and help raise awareness of its prevalence.

Resources