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Past District Governor Clare Lillis from the Forest Lake Rotary Club spoke to us today regarding Rotary's new initiative to tackle the local and national problem of under-age sex trafficking. More people are trapped in this nightmare than ever before. In the U.S., we saw an increase of between 20 to 35% between 2016 and 2017, where there are between 2 and 4 million victims. And Minnesota ranks within the top 15 states for this activity. Why? Reasons cited were the fact that we are a border state, have lots of good freeway access, a number of major sports teams, and significant malls and transport hubs where victims are more easily picked up. The average age at which most victims begin this life is between 12 and 14. Because of the risks involved, the average life span for new "recruits" is a mere 7 years. Buyers, on the other hand, are typically men between 18 and 89, married and with children. They will typically travel 30-60 miles from home when setting up meetings with victims, hoping not to be recognized. Minnesota has been proactive in working to combat the trend. Our state passed a Safe Harbor law in 2007 which ensures that victims under the age of 18 will be treated as such, rather than as criminals. The Minneapolis and St. Paul area Rotary districts have partnered to begin working on a strategy to involve Rotary in tackling this problem in Minnesota. Each club is asked to appoint one or more representatives to be included in this work, which will include raising awareness as well as funds. On a global scale, Rotary is well positioned to make a difference. We have worked to largely end polio in the world - we can end the scourge of human trafficking as well.