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Omaha officials, community organizations launch new initiative aiming to protect children
OMAHA, Neb. —
A new effort in Omaha is bringing together more than 60 community organizations to fight child sex trafficking.
The Omaha Against Traffick Initiative is an awareness campaign spearheaded by Project Harmony with the ultimate goal of empowering and educating the public with tools and resources to bring an end to child sex trafficking.
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On Tuesday, 30 school busses drove against the flow of traffic, to quite literally take a stand against child sex trafficking.
Candias Jones is a survivor, she said Tuesday’s display sent a powerful message.
“So much of this world is loud and so much of it is is wrong, right? And so what we’re saying is that look at this very real issue that we’re experiencing, and we’re putting it right in your face so that we all have to do something about it,” Jones said.
Since 2023, Omaha police chief Todd Schmaderer said there have been 59 confirmed victims of child sex trafficking in the Omaha metro. In that same timeframe, Omaha police have made 71 arrests, but Schmaderer said that’s only a fraction of the problem and it’s a crime that often goes underreported.
OPD’s continued partnership with Project Harmony, Schmaderer said, has already made a significant impact in their effort to address the problem.
“We’ve been able to add more officers to the team that investigates child sex trafficking, and having more partner resources available to us has enabled these investigations to be more thorough,” Schmaderer said.
Jones is one of many leaders in the community working to ensure no other child experiences trauma, like hers. Jones said it just takes one person to make an impact, for her it was a teacher that noticed something in a journal entry she read, so Jones said to speak up if you see something.
To other survivors, Jones said she hopes they know they are not alone.
“There are organizations. There are people just like me. There are people in the community here today that would go to bat and stand in the gap for anyone,” Jones said.
Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr. said the city is committed to their partnership with Project Harmony. During his time with the Omaha Police Department, Ewing said he served as unit commander for the special victims unit. The Mayor said it’s the most significant work he has done and those emotions and experiences still stick with him.
“Those faces of our young people that we saw and that we see every day, that don’t have the opportunity to grow up in a safe space, and we have adults that want to take advantage of them and basically potentially destroy their lives,” Ewing said. “Then we have to come in as a community and help rebuild their lives. One of the things I tell people is that as your mayor, I’m always going to lead with my heart. And my heart is full today because of the amazing partnership that you all are creating.”
Project Harmony also said that the collaboration includes law enforcement, child advocacy groups, and other community partners working to identify at-risk children and connect them with support.
The organization said other states are now turning to them for help.
“Just in the last few months, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Indiana have come to Project Harmony, to learn more about how we can replicate this work. Our team also is working with several child advocacy centers in the state of New York,” Gene Klein, CEO of Project Harmony, said.
Common message from every agency involved in the campaign: if you see something, say something.
Resources
- Nebraska Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-652-1999
- Iowa Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-362-2178
- National Human Trafficking Hotline: 888-373-7888
Call 911 if you or someone else are in immediate danger. Click here to learn more about the initiative.
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