July 20, 2025 • 39 mins
HER Campaign Co-Founder Britney Higgs and retired DEA agent Stacy Zinn talk about the scourge of human trafficking in the US and what the HER campaign does to help victims safely transition.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
We all owe them, but very few of us know them.
They are the men and women of our military and
first responder communities, and these are their stories. American Warrior
Radio is on the air.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Hello everyone, Welcome to American Warrior Radio. This is your host,
Ben Bueler Garcia. American Warrior Radio broadcast from the Silencer
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A lot of people may not know that we've had
various three letter agencies active in after Afghanistan. You're going
to hear about someone who's served with one of those today.
(01:08):
But as you know, at American Warrior rato are our
purpose is to tell the stories of those who protect
us at home and abroad, not all protectors, however, were
combat boots, are carry a badge, and not all threats
to our nation and our communities come from a nation state.
There are vulnerable among US, victims who need rescue, protection
and recovery. Today, you're going to hear the story of
(01:29):
two women who are doing precisely that. The first who
never took the oath, but was inspired to action by
a visit into a war zone. The second served with
one of our nation's foremost law enforcement organizations and has
brought her expertise to bear in a new cause. They're
going to acquaint you with the problem that I bet
most of you do not spend a lot of time
thinking about, but affects hundreds of thousands in our country.
(01:50):
Brittany Higgs has a background in film and marketing. For experience,
witnessing firsthand the struggles of trafficking survivors in war torn
regions led her to co found her campaign, along with
their bean Sammy, also joining us as Stacy's in Stacy
served twenty three years with a drug enforcement agency. She
worked alongside the FBI on our southern border and undercover
investigations targeting Mexican cartels. She had four deployments to Afghanistan
(02:14):
fighting the opium trade, funding both the Taliban and al Qaeda.
In twenty eighteen, Stacey became the first woman to be
named Montana's Resident Agent in Charge. Brittany and Stacy, Welcome
to American Warrior Radio.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Ben So, Brittany, a little bit about you.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Tell us more about your professional background and how that
led you to where you are now.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
Yeah, honestly, I am an entrepreneur at heart. I love
building business, building teams, and that led my husband and
I to own and run a film company and we
were love and life doing marketing and enjoying that. And
that is when we got connected with organizations that were
(02:56):
doing work overseas and they were needing a film crew
to come bring more awareness to the issue of what
was happening over in war torn areas when it came
to sex trafficking. And so that is how we got
connected and started in this.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Okay, well let's tell us about this.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
So that that's how you got to wreck But it's
not I don't know if it's unusual on Brittany, but
you know, to have a civilian and just to clarify
you were you were embedded.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
I don't know if that's right word.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
You were hired to produce a documentary and you're inter
rock on this assignment, and you were teamed up with
various and sundry former Special Forces secret squirrels, you know,
maybe adagent or two, who knows, and that's how you now.
Were you specifically there to document the victims of ISIS
(03:44):
human trafficking or did that just happen to come along
while you were there and you decided to focus on that.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
No, that was the focus going into it, And you're right,
I think it is unusual to have a civilian go
on a trip like that, but there is an incredible team,
like you said, of special Forces, former Special Forces guys
that were leading this team under an NGO to go
over there right after ISIS had hit the city of
(04:12):
Masule and hundreds of thousands of people were displaced. So
even before I think our American troops were deployed over
there to kind of help the situation, we went over
and this group was helping local militia to reintegrate survivors
of trafficking through ISIS ranks back into IDP camps with
their families. And so that is what we went over
(04:34):
there to do. There wasn't a lot of support in
the States at that time, so one of the main
focuses for that documentary was trying to rally support not
only from the faith community, but from our government as well.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
And just to clarify these special forces for I just
used as a broad category the people that you were
working with. They were not active duty military. There were
private contractors at that point.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Can you, Stacy, do you feel I'm sorry, Stacy, your next, Brittany,
I'll get this straight. Can do you feel comfortable sharing
some of the stories or what you witnessed and dealing
with some of these victims over there?
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Absolutely?
Speaker 5 (05:13):
So when we got there on the ground, we visited
a lot of these camps, and the teams had been
working with local militia, like I said, to recover these survivors,
meet them at specific checkpoints, and then help them reintegrate
into families in these camps. And I came in and
got to sit down on.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
The floor level with some of these survivors.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
It ranged from women that were in their twenties and
the youngest was eight years old, a little girl who
had just been recovered a few days prior to that,
and as you can possibly imagine, was just completely disassociated
from her situation and reality and that was just extremely.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Difficult to see.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
But one of the stories that really just impacted me,
and honestly is where her campaign started, was I was
sitting on the floor of a cement cement house with
a survivor that was around twenty four years old, and
we were hearing her story of what she was forced
to do in ISIS ranks. But what got me was
(06:17):
she just kept saying, I wish I would have just
died in captivity because I have nothing left to offer.
And that just struck me because even though the rescue
had happened right she was physically free from the captivity
that she was experiencing, she still was in captivity in
her mind, emotions, and her will to live. And so
(06:38):
from that place, my heart cry was, there has to
be something more after the rescue and what is that?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
And so that your aha moment didn't take place when
you got back stateside, it happened right there on that
concrete floor.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
That's that's pretty powerful.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
Yeah, absolutely, it was that moment that made me realize
that there is a huge gap for four programs for
survivors after they step out of trafficking and you know,
coming back home, it just became real that this is
happening in our backyard. And after that trip by, Yeah,
I think things just open up and the world comes
(07:15):
to you once your heart is broken for something. And
we just were getting a front row seat to watch
and listen to stories that were happening right here in
Montana and how it was a gap here.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, I think it's it might be human nature to
want to glance away from things that you don't want
to hear about, that are that are horrible like this,
And so I can see people saying, well, you know, Brittany,
that was isis that was a rock? You know, but
this is Billings or Tucson or Sheboygan. It's it's not no,
it's not happening here, but it really is. And when
(07:48):
we come back after the break, I want Stacey or
she would to just maybe share some of the statistics
with us, because I really honestly believe your average person
out there would be absolutely shocked.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
How bad it is now.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
I'm you know, I'm based out of We're fifty miles
in north of the Mexican border, so we've got a
higher than usual you know, issue with that with the
traffic coming across the border. But I think a lot
of people don't and we'll talk a little bit about
this too. I think it's so important to teach people
to recognize this, you know, Britain. As I told you before,
(08:22):
for ten years I volunteered with a group called Stand
Up for Kids and we worked with homeless teens and
street kids.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
And the thing about them.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Is, because they're under age of eighteen, they don't want
to be found, they don't want to be set. You know,
it's horrible as it sounds. Living on the streets and
sleeping under a bridge is better than what they ran
away from. So they're very good at disguising them themselves.
Their their status is not very obvious. But if you
know where to look and what you're looking for, you
can find them. And I'm hoping that there you can
(08:51):
maybe share later on in the programs from some tips
for folks out there so that they can become part
of your army, of your team and helping identify these
victims and getting some help. And just so people know,
it's HER's campaign, h g RS campaign dot org. Correct
thing find more about you and your initiative.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
There, Yes, it's actually her just h R campaign dot org.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Okay, just singular h g R and that okay, that
makes sense her HGR.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
When we come back, Stacey, if you don't mind, I'd
like to chat with a little bit more about you,
how about how you got involved, how your background is
bringing a very powerful aid to the her campaign, and
maybe share some statistics and also you know, kind of
what you've seen on the ground with the connection between
you know, very often drug trafficking and human trafficking. Ladies
and gentlemen. There's your host, Ben biler Garcia. Don't forget.
(09:43):
You can find over six hundred podcasts at American Warrior
Radio dot com. Please listen and share these important stories.
We'll be back with more about the Her campaign in
just a few minutes.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
This is your host, Ben deler Garcia.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
We're talking with Britney Higgs and Stacy's in about the
her campaign HTR campaign. You can learn more hr campaign
dot org.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Stacy.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
In the introduction, I talked a little bit about your background,
your extensive experience, very impressive stuff, you know, particularly your deployments.
I was reading an article about you and when you
were working down in Al Paso helping to stop the
cartel and drug traffic down there for the DEA you had,
a hit was put out on you. So somebody, in
(10:43):
their infinite wisdom, I guess, decided to send you to Afghanistan.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
What was safer? Huh?
Speaker 6 (10:46):
Well, well that was a little bit of a combination,
and you know, you had the cartel coming at you
at one end, and so I was like, okay, well
I did raise my hand for to support our first
deployment over to Afghanistan of going after the narco t
that was making heroin and sending it out to the
foreign countries. So it was kind of a it was
a it is a joint venture.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
Stacy.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
I went to a website and I want folks to
also check out. It's called I Am on watch dot org,
a very powerful website shocking numbers about the tens of thousands,
the hundreds of thousands of people that are victims of
trafficking right here in the United States of America. And
I want to also clarify that it's not most people
(11:30):
probably think about sex trafficking, but it's also labor trafficking.
It's also people that are being trafficked to be involved
in criminal enterprises. So there's lots of levels of this.
But how I mean from your perspective, Stacy, how how
bad is this and is it getting worse?
Speaker 6 (11:46):
Well, to be very very honest, it's pretty bad. And
what I mean by that is with the our border
being open, individuals that have crossed over, millions and millions
of people, children, young females that have crossed over a
border and disappeared into United States. We don't know exactly
(12:08):
how bad it is, but if you look at numbers
back in you know, with twenty twenty with it what
the FBI was porting, you know, they record over over
two thousand trafficking incidents. That is going to be on
the very very low end, very low end. United States
is well known for trafficking individuals. Individuals are trying to
(12:28):
make money within the United States. But when I was
in the foreign arena, I would see it in South America.
But we'd see individuals from from North America coming down
to South America and participating in these activities of sex trafficking.
Now I believe it's probably reversed to a certain degree
because of our recent open borders, and we just don't
(12:48):
have a pulse on it yet. We will in a
short period of time, but we just don't know the
numbers at this time.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Well, in those incidences, I assume many of them are
involved more than one individual, right, so the actual numbers
of victims are significantly higher. I mean, I've seen everything
from you know, one hundred thousand a year, and I
think the last website I visited, let's see what that was,
the National Human Trafficking Hotline. They received thirty two, three
(13:17):
hundred and nine calls last year alone.
Speaker 6 (13:20):
Well, I mean you look at you know, the dates
between the dates two thousand and seven and twenty twenty five,
you know, there was at least one hundred and fifteen
thousand trafficking situations. But I really believe it's still reported
on the It's on the lower end because this is
not something that's in your face. This is something that
law enforcement will uncover after the fact. If I'm going
(13:41):
into to do a rate on a house, it's a
we're going in for drugs. We will see activities, but
we DEA doesn't. We We reported, but we actually handed
all over to other agencies. So the reporting is going
to be somewhat skew.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
But again, this is.
Speaker 6 (13:59):
A criminal activity that no one's raising their hand and
going hey, hey, you know this is happening right here
in your face, So we don't know how many the
numbers of victims that we have. And also the victims
are not picking up the phone each and every time saying, hey,
I was traffic last night.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
I saw some data Stacey. The average.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Age of a traffic victim is twelve years old. That's
just unconsfortable and maybe that's why people don't want to
see it because it's so horrible.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Well, and it's not reported in the media like it
should be. Whenever there's operations that take place, we try
to protect the victims, and especially if they're underage, so
there's gonna be a little bit of whispers, So get
that kind of a splash, but then it goes away
because people don't want to really talk about it. It's like,
not in my neighborhood. This is not happening in my community. Yes,
(14:50):
it doesn't matter of the statue, where you live, the income.
It is happening across the United States, and people would surprised.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
The explained to us real briefly that the connection between
drug traffic and human trafficking. Is it just another profit
motive or is it because they've already got the infrastructure
in place. If I'm smuggling drugs, I might as well
be smuggling humans.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
All the above, All the above.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
I mean you look at let's let's pick out the
cartels for example, the cartels, you know they're there, they're
there to make money. They are a enterprise, thinkative as
a corporation, there to make billions, and at one time
drugs was their top revenue, making a venture. Then when
the border opened up, they saw, hey, we can make
(15:39):
a lot of money off the human trafficking and smuggling.
And you see these activities taking place. You look at
the Narco terrorists that have re routed themselves from the
Middle East and shifted down to South America. Again, they're
looking at how they can exploit victims in order to
make moneies to continuous continue their nefarious acts. So, yes,
(16:00):
it's paullie, it's it's polly venture. But and it's not
one shoe fits.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
All, Okay, And I tell you one of the other
shocking figures I found was I think it says something
like eighty or from sorry, forty percent of the traffickers
are not cartels, They're not the boogeyman you would expect.
It's family members who are doing this to their own family.
Speaker 6 (16:23):
We do see that in different vulnerable communities. And again
that's something that's that right there is not really discussed,
but you do see family members, you know, close in,
close out.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
We see it.
Speaker 6 (16:36):
We see it in law We saw it in law enforcement.
And it breaks my heart because this is something you know,
we need to start having those honest communications. If you
see something, say something we need to talk about, but
we also need to convey it's okay to talk about it.
And then this is where the her campaign comes in.
They're there to support and help educate and help these
(16:59):
victims move forward in life. So it's say it's a
project that that needs more focused and needs to be highlighted.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
There's clearly not enough resources out there, and uh, you know,
Brittany knows that. That's why she started this, this her campaign.
But I'm curious from your perspective, Stacey is a former
federal a retired federal agent. How how well equipped, how
well informed are the local law enforcement agencies to deal
(17:28):
with this problem?
Speaker 6 (17:30):
It depends on their mission so your your local law
enforcement and rural areas have This is something that they
do not particularly hone in on because they have to
do they there's so few of them in an area
that they have to you know, traffic stops, to writing
tickets to a criminal, petty crime, domestic, you know, et cetera,
(17:52):
et cetera. So they are not immediately focused on it.
So they need the education. You have the Federal Agencies
Drug Enforcement Stration, even though that we do report if
we see that type of crime. We're focused on Title
twenty one money lawn during drug trafficking. But your HSI
and your FBI, they are skilled. They are the ones
(18:12):
that will bring these crimes to be adjudicated. So but
again it's educating our state police and our local law
enforcement because we need all eyes on this. And Montana
and other states, you know, they have a fast amount
of land. These nefarious people have a way of being
(18:33):
able to go into areas where there's not a law
law law enforcement, and that is a problem.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
Okay, ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
As your host, Ben Deila Garcia, you're listening to American
Warrior Radio. We'll be back with more of this very
very powerful subject with Brittany and Station stick around. Welcome
(19:11):
back to American Warrior Radio. Laser gentlemen, there's your host,
Ben buler Garcia. We're coming to you from the Silencer
Central Studios. Silencer Central is the largest silencer dealer in
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(19:33):
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five Silencercentral dot com. We're back with Brittany Higgs and
Stacy's in. We're talking about her campaign. You can find
out more hr campaign dot org. Well, first put you
on my radar of all things, was a goat, And
(19:56):
I'm not talking like a goat, like you're the NBA
All Star goat, a little balancy, fluffy goat tell us
about freedom.
Speaker 5 (20:04):
Yeah, So this summer we are doing a challenge in
our organization that it's a fundraiser and it's to raise
up our nation to come alongside of survivors of human
trafficking to provide more gaps as we're seeing in our
nation for aftercare. And so we are walking five hundred
and eighty miles from our two current locations in Billings, Montana,
(20:26):
to Denver, Colorado. And as we were thinking about this,
we're like, you know what is going to grab people's
attention and really bring them into this important work and
raise up a nationwide movement. And we said, what better
than a baby goat? So we have trained a baby
goat to walk with us on this five hundred and
(20:48):
eighty mile journey.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
And and I'll on the labside, I'll post a picture
of freedom. But little bitty legs, how is how's freedom
going to keep up?
Speaker 4 (20:59):
Is free them here? Or she?
Speaker 3 (21:02):
It's a she?
Speaker 5 (21:02):
And you know what, great question. We are taking good
care of freedom to goat. She is living her best life.
She is going to be walking a few miles with
us a day, just the allotted time that a baby
goat can handle. She also has a chariot, which is
a jogging stroller that she'll be writing in and then
the support crew is in an RV, so she's going
to be hanging out r V parks, living her best
(21:25):
life and then walking a little bit here and there
with us.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Okay, Well that that answered my next question. I mean,
that's from Billings to Denver. There's some lot of wide
open space there, so you're not you're not going to
be living off the land with tips of those your
special Forces buddies, tatcha. You've got a support team right that,
like a chase car and an RV and a special
Goat mobile that's going to be yeah, tagging along for sure.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
For sure.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
I mean I'm still using some of the things that
I've been taught that have been passed down for sure,
because I am walking alone for the majority of it.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
But we will have a support crew in rate.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
You actually chose this route for a reason, and explain
to our listeners why.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
You know, the interstates between Billings and Denver are one
of the high traffic areas for transportation of trafficking victims.
And you know, Montana has been known as a truck
stop state, meaning that as you know, people are transporting
and going to different urban areas where there's conventions, events
(22:27):
where there's lots of people, there's going to be trafficking.
Billings is a hub and a stopping place in between
these urban areas, and so I think it's incredibly significant
that we are walking this ground and really taking that ground,
saying like, hey, we are taking a stance against this
issue and it's not going to happen not going to
(22:48):
happen in our routes. And so that's that's a huge
reason why we chose to walk from Billings to Denver.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Again, I was doing.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Some research prepping for the show. I found a website
that listed those a national and I listed the the
physical locations, for lack of a better phrase, where some
of these victims are trafficked or employed that's not the
right word, but and truck stops was definitely on that list.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
So I also began coainted with the group.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I never heard her before, but there's a Truckers against
Trafficking group out there too.
Speaker 5 (23:20):
Yeah you work with them, Yes, yeah, they're awesome, But yeah,
to your point, I mean, we had a situation last
year where there was a sixteen year old local to Billings,
Montana that went to a truck stop, was waiting for
a friend when a trucker who was trafficking ended up
picking your up saying, hey, you know your friend's taking
(23:42):
too long.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
I'll I'll take you to her house.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
She ended up being trafficked around the nation for a
few months before she was flown back to the States.
And so are flown back to Montana. And so it
does happen, Stacey.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
I'm curious reminding who has got the principal authority for this,
whose job is trafficking?
Speaker 4 (24:04):
And because when when I hear Brittany.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Talking about the road as well, you know that's principally
going to be the local or you know, the state
highway patrol or you know, maybe I want to hope
I misheard you, Stacey. But who at the federal level,
whose job is this principally?
Speaker 6 (24:18):
Well, you see onikes, for example, the FBI has that
title where they they conduct these type of investigations. HSI
under DHS also does these type of investigations on the
Indian reservations. You see more of FBI go in onto
the reservations and assist there through and they have alsoess
(24:40):
uh witness counselors that help guide them and are able
to work with that community.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
And that's another issue on to bring to people's attention.
That's huge that a lot of people don't know about.
Is at least you know, the number of Native Americans
on the reservations or in our community that you disappear
or probably you know, kidnapped, don't if they're trafficked or not.
But that's that's a big number as well. And you're right,
I guess a lot of us just think about the
border and that's you know, DHS Homeland Security. But once
(25:11):
they're in the country, I know they have authority to
do that anywhere. But okay, I just I wanted to
get that. Got that straightened out, Brittany, how long you know,
at a pace where freedom can keep up, how long
do you anticipate being on the road to get from
Billings to Denver.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
It's going to be about a thirty five day challenge,
and that's walking about twenty miles a day, so it's
going to be a long stint.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
And ladies and gentlemen, if you'd like to participate, if
you'd like to support this. They're looking to raise one
thousand dollars per mile. So I don't do math in public,
but I think that comes out to about five hundred
and eighty thousand dollars. And also people can can check
your route and check in on you right if they
want to meet you, if they're in that area, they
want to meet you a long route and give you
(26:00):
an at a boy or handy a check right then
and there, or maybe frankly, I don't want to have
a photo with Freedom.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
That's just me.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
But you know, only ten dollars for photo, folks, I'll
go so good cause I just made that up there.
But so folks go to her campaign hgr campaign dot org.
You can track Britney's progress and then you know, kind
of see where they are and arrange to meet them.
I think that'd be really, really a really good thing
for folks in that area to do.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
Absolutely, please come and join the movement with us, walk
a day with us. We have strategic marks across the
route between Montana and Wyoming, Denver, Colorado, where we are
we are meeting and doing community events. So follow us
and keep up to date and come join us.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Okay, and again, ladies and gentlemen, that's her campaign dot
org and I've gotten also check out the national I
want to announce this the National Human Trafficking hotline. Write
this down, lads and gentlemen. I'll put it in the
on the post our website. But that hotline is eight
eight eight three seven three seven eight eight eight of
(27:06):
the victims that your organization works with, Station Brittany. How
many of those are? What are your referral points? I mean,
how are they coming into your system? How are you
being made aware of them?
Speaker 5 (27:19):
Yeah, So multiple different areas that we get referrals from.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
We work with referral agencies across the nation.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
So a couple of those is Rescue America in safe
house projects, first responsors, first responders and law enforcement officials.
We work closely with them to build those partnerships. A huge,
a huge thing that we try to do too, is
bridge the gap between law enforcement and survivors. There is
a disconnect because survivors, you know, are meant to taught
(27:48):
to distrust distrust law enforcement, and so part of what
we do is try to build that gap so that
hopefully testimony can lead to prosecution, but we want them
to get healed safe, you know, in a place they're
ready to testify in those cases and bridge that gap
with law enforcement. But then we have survivors that call
us directly that reach out and we work with other organizations.
(28:11):
There are some amazing organizations that we partner with that
are on the front lines.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
E three ranch is one of those.
Speaker 5 (28:17):
And so again a team of former special ops guys
and MBLA baseball players that have rallied together to be
deputized across the nation by different law enforcement officials to
go in and help rescue these women. And we are
one of the places they call when they need immediate
placement for some of these women that are getting rescued.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
Outstanding ladies and John.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
When we come back, we're going to talk with both
station and Brittany about how you can be deputized to
this very very important campaign and help them out. This
is your host, Spinnabula Garce will be right back. Welcome
(29:08):
back to America Warrior Radio. Ladies and gentlemen. This your host,
Ben Biler Garcia. We're talking with Britney Higgs and Stacy's
in about her campaign HR campaign. You can find out
more HR campaign dot org one of the websites I
cided here I am on watch dot org. They've got
some training there on the website that people can take.
(29:31):
I assume both of you would highly encourage people to
know what to look for, what the indicators might be, because,
as you mentioned, some of these folks they don't want
to be doing this obviously, but there's also a huge
fear factor involved.
Speaker 5 (29:46):
Right Absolutely, tools like I am on watch It is
a free resource for anybody to learn how to spot
and report human trafficking where you work, play and enjoy life,
and so I think it's so important for anybody and
everybody to get on there that resource in particular, two
is actual survivor stories and so we get an inside
(30:07):
perspective of what trafficking looks like in multifaceted ways across
our nation. And so getting educated and like Stacey said earlier,
being able to spot and report it is so important.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
So just to clarify your organization, Brittany, do you work
just with victims who've been sex trafficked or do you work.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
With all folks?
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Yes, we work with just women that are sex trafficked.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
Stacy.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
I want to point this outcause I think a lot
of people, unless there's a big rate or something, a
lot of people overlook this. I found some data on
the labor side of trafficking. The top four categories were
domestic work, which I found very interesting. The restaurant, food service, construction,
and agriculture.
Speaker 6 (30:52):
Yes, I know, I keep going back to the open borders,
but unfortunately we're starting to see more the forced labor
in the workforce. Their nail salons. There's several types of
nail salons where you go in and you just have
to look at the I want to give some secrets away,
but you just have to look around and know some
of the signs, and you'll see that these individuals are
being forced to do nails in order to support pay
(31:14):
back their fees for being being smuggled into the country.
Restaurant business, if you if you're freaking a restaurant business
and you start seeing a rotation of waitresses or waiters,
more often than not, just keep your finger on the pulse.
You start seeing them rotating maybe three months, maybe four
months rotation and stuff like that. So, yes, there is
(31:35):
a huge uptick. And when I do I still do
a lot of community events educating people about the dangers
of drugs, et cetera. But I also incorporate that piece
into the conversation because again, if you see a pink
elephant walking down the street, raise your hands, say there's
a pink elephants, I wonder what that's all about.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Or a goat walking down there, a little one than you. Yeah,
a little baby, little cute cute goat. I did also
found some data stays here are bringing both the average
time for sex trafficking victims, the average time that their
traffic is twelve months and for labors nineteen months, a
little bit longer, and there was data in there in
some cases it could be up to two hundred months.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
It's modern day slavery.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Obviously, Brittany, give us a kind of a reader's die
just summer and I want folks and folks go to
her campaign dot org you can kick some money. They're
looking to raise five hundred and eighty thousand dollars, one
thousand dollars for every mile that Brittany and Freedom walk
down from Billings to Denver. But there's other ways you
can support this. I encourage it.
Speaker 6 (32:36):
Just to you.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
Every dollar counts.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
If you're if your corporation, you can sponsor this, but
give us a kind of reader's dies version of the
services that you actually offer in Billings and Denver.
Speaker 5 (32:48):
Brittany absolutely so with this demographic, as you can imagine,
complex trauma requires a complex program to really come alongside
of these women comprehensively. So our programs start with a
three to five day safehouse that is in partnership with
law enforcement and other first responders that we are just
getting them somewhere safe and having twenty four to seven
(33:09):
trained staff to come alongside of them and give them
time to make an informed decision of what they want
to do for their next step. Everything we do is
about putting power back in their corner right because every
power has been taken away from them. So choice is
so crucial in that early step. Once they're ready and
they've made the choice that I am ready to step
into a recovery treatment center of some sort. We have
(33:32):
an eight week stabilization program that is very clinical in nature,
but we also add functional and integrative health pieces neurofeedback,
IV nutrition. As you can imagine, the body is just
depleted incredibly by the trafficking situation that they've come out of,
so we are looking at their body first, their minds,
(33:52):
and then we also have a faith based spiritual component,
and we think those three pillars are the things that
are really going to help that survivor heal come out
of that trauma mode and then start to be able
to plan and dream for their future. From there, we
help them with life skills, job skills, and helping them
reintegrate back into society.
Speaker 4 (34:10):
And how long have you all been doing this.
Speaker 5 (34:12):
We've been up and going since twenty sixteen when our
first safe host program was found.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Okay, So any estimate on how successful what percentage of
these victims successfully make that transition?
Speaker 5 (34:25):
Yes, so in our emergency stabilization program, we see eighty
seven percent of our survivors enter and graduate and step
into long term programs, which is phenomenal when it comes
to any sort of residential treatment center.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Yeah, that's how sounding great numbers, Stacia. I'm just curious,
giving your background, your expertise, how did you and Brittany
come to meet and how did you decide to lend
your considerable skills and knowledge to her campaign.
Speaker 6 (34:50):
Well, I first saw Brittany and her husband Sammy at
church and they stood up as running at first starting off,
and they started to give them the presentation and they
were taking in individuals into their own home, and I
went wow, And so I kind of kind of took
a step back because I was still active with Dea
took a step back and started watching them from afar
(35:12):
and seeing, Okay, how's this going to move forward? And
then also they were coordinating with the state with AG's office,
and they were starting to make some inroads with law enforcement,
and I'm like, you know what I'm going to, you know,
step up and introduce myself. Then we had a third
person that was part of law enforcement and the her campaign,
and she's like.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
You need to meet Brittany.
Speaker 6 (35:34):
So it was kind of like it was a sign,
you know, that first nudge, a second nudge, and the
third nudge, and like, Okay, no, this is this is
something I need to actually get involved in and take
a hard look at.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
Well.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
I certainly can't speak for Brittany and Sammy, but I'm
sure they're very glad that you're there and you're still.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Engaged one percent. Stacey is an incredible asset.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
So we're getting town to Unfortunately, whenever we have good guests,
we run out of time again, folks, Just a reminder,
the National Human Trafficking Hotline is eight eight eight three
seven three seven eight eight eight.
Speaker 4 (36:07):
Please write that down, put it on your phone.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
And we do have a number of law enforcement folks
that are part of our listener based coast to coast,
So I'd encourage them if you have the resources or
can find the resources, you know, maybe kick this up
the command chain and you encourage your leadership to start
focusing on that and reach out to organizations like the
Her Campaign. I know there's a lot of other nonprofits
(36:29):
out there that are working to address this issue, and
so I encourage you to do that. I just kind
of want to wrap up with both of you. What
what other things can folks do to support you? Clearly
they can make a donation and financially support you're you're
in Freedom's Walk, or just you know, make a general
donation and well, watch a better question, Brittany, the funds
(36:51):
that are raised from this are you looking? Is this
to support existing programs or I know you you use
I can't remember the phrase use, but you want to
make this a race a higher on the national conscience.
And so, like I said, we've got affiliates all across
the country. If someone hearing this says, you know what,
I want to join the team and join the effort.
I want to start up a resource in my community.
(37:12):
Are you available to help them do that? And you know,
for lack of a better term, kind of franchise it
to scale it up nationwide.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (37:20):
Our greater vision is to take the incredible blueprint that
our teams in Denver and Billings are making to provide
the best excellence in residential care. We want to set
the standards of evidence based practices in the nation for
how we do this. And there is a gap. There's
only about twenty five hundred estimated beds specifically for sex
(37:40):
trafficking survivors across the nation, and so when we're talking
about statistics of one hundred thousand, we don't even know
how many survivors there are yearly. This is such a gap,
and so our goal is to take this blueprint and
expand it across the nation everywhere needed.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
And folks, again, if you see something or you suspect something,
say something, please and don't forget to visit i AM
on watch dot org and check out their training video
so you can become gaining more expertise about how to
identify this problem that is a scourge all across our country.
Quick question, first for you Brittany, second for you Stacey.
Given the numbers and the across the country, if you
(38:16):
had your choice of what would be your next city
that could use a resource like this.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
Yes, we are actually looking at Nashville, Tennessee as our
third location and again as we do landscape assessments and
see what is needed right now, there is no crisis stabilization,
safehouse and emergency program for survivors of human trafficking in
that area, and so that is what we're that's where
we're going next.
Speaker 4 (38:41):
Okay, your vote, Stacy.
Speaker 6 (38:43):
Well, I'm going to say Texas because it is down south.
But when I started bringing awareness to this with my
among my friends, I had a handful of women saying
we need this type of program down here, and so
that just kind of opened up my eyes that not
every community is fortunate to have a her campaign in
their backyard.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Okay, well, ladies and gentlemen, check out her campaign dot org,
hgr campaign dot org. Brittany Stacy, thank you so much
for spending time with our listeners today. And I won't
say luck, but have a great walk. Thanks Ben, thank you,
and kiss freedom on the bean for me.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
We'll deal.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Are you going, Ladies and gentlemen, another great show in
the books. Don't forget to share these messages with your friends.
Until next time, all policies and procedures are remaining place.
Speaker 4 (39:27):
Take care of.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
You've been listening to American Warrior Radio. Archived episodes may
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platform
We all owe them, but very few of us know them.
They are the men and women of our military and
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Radio is on the air.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Hello everyone, Welcome to American Warrior Radio. This is your host,
Ben Bueler Garcia. American Warrior Radio broadcast from the Silencer
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(00:47):
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A lot of people may not know that we've had
various three letter agencies active in after Afghanistan. You're going
to hear about someone who's served with one of those today.
(01:08):
But as you know, at American Warrior rato are our
purpose is to tell the stories of those who protect
us at home and abroad, not all protectors, however, were
combat boots, are carry a badge, and not all threats
to our nation and our communities come from a nation state.
There are vulnerable among US, victims who need rescue, protection
and recovery. Today, you're going to hear the story of
(01:29):
two women who are doing precisely that. The first who
never took the oath, but was inspired to action by
a visit into a war zone. The second served with
one of our nation's foremost law enforcement organizations and has
brought her expertise to bear in a new cause. They're
going to acquaint you with the problem that I bet
most of you do not spend a lot of time
thinking about, but affects hundreds of thousands in our country.
(01:50):
Brittany Higgs has a background in film and marketing. For experience,
witnessing firsthand the struggles of trafficking survivors in war torn
regions led her to co found her campaign, along with
their bean Sammy, also joining us as Stacy's in Stacy
served twenty three years with a drug enforcement agency. She
worked alongside the FBI on our southern border and undercover
investigations targeting Mexican cartels. She had four deployments to Afghanistan
(02:14):
fighting the opium trade, funding both the Taliban and al Qaeda.
In twenty eighteen, Stacey became the first woman to be
named Montana's Resident Agent in Charge. Brittany and Stacy, Welcome
to American Warrior Radio.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Thanks for having us.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
Ben So, Brittany, a little bit about you.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
Tell us more about your professional background and how that
led you to where you are now.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
Yeah, honestly, I am an entrepreneur at heart. I love
building business, building teams, and that led my husband and
I to own and run a film company and we
were love and life doing marketing and enjoying that. And
that is when we got connected with organizations that were
(02:56):
doing work overseas and they were needing a film crew
to come bring more awareness to the issue of what
was happening over in war torn areas when it came
to sex trafficking. And so that is how we got
connected and started in this.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
Okay, well let's tell us about this.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
So that that's how you got to wreck But it's
not I don't know if it's unusual on Brittany, but
you know, to have a civilian and just to clarify
you were you were embedded.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
I don't know if that's right word.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
You were hired to produce a documentary and you're inter
rock on this assignment, and you were teamed up with
various and sundry former Special Forces secret squirrels, you know,
maybe adagent or two, who knows, and that's how you now.
Were you specifically there to document the victims of ISIS
(03:44):
human trafficking or did that just happen to come along
while you were there and you decided to focus on that.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
No, that was the focus going into it, And you're right,
I think it is unusual to have a civilian go
on a trip like that, but there is an incredible team,
like you said, of special Forces, former Special Forces guys
that were leading this team under an NGO to go
over there right after ISIS had hit the city of
(04:12):
Masule and hundreds of thousands of people were displaced. So
even before I think our American troops were deployed over
there to kind of help the situation, we went over
and this group was helping local militia to reintegrate survivors
of trafficking through ISIS ranks back into IDP camps with
their families. And so that is what we went over
(04:34):
there to do. There wasn't a lot of support in
the States at that time, so one of the main
focuses for that documentary was trying to rally support not
only from the faith community, but from our government as well.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
And just to clarify these special forces for I just
used as a broad category the people that you were
working with. They were not active duty military. There were
private contractors at that point.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
That's right.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Can you, Stacy, do you feel I'm sorry, Stacy, your next, Brittany,
I'll get this straight. Can do you feel comfortable sharing
some of the stories or what you witnessed and dealing
with some of these victims over there?
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Absolutely?
Speaker 5 (05:13):
So when we got there on the ground, we visited
a lot of these camps, and the teams had been
working with local militia, like I said, to recover these survivors,
meet them at specific checkpoints, and then help them reintegrate
into families in these camps. And I came in and
got to sit down on.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
The floor level with some of these survivors.
Speaker 5 (05:34):
It ranged from women that were in their twenties and
the youngest was eight years old, a little girl who
had just been recovered a few days prior to that,
and as you can possibly imagine, was just completely disassociated
from her situation and reality and that was just extremely.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
Difficult to see.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
But one of the stories that really just impacted me,
and honestly is where her campaign started, was I was
sitting on the floor of a cement cement house with
a survivor that was around twenty four years old, and
we were hearing her story of what she was forced
to do in ISIS ranks. But what got me was
(06:17):
she just kept saying, I wish I would have just
died in captivity because I have nothing left to offer.
And that just struck me because even though the rescue
had happened right she was physically free from the captivity
that she was experiencing, she still was in captivity in
her mind, emotions, and her will to live. And so
(06:38):
from that place, my heart cry was, there has to
be something more after the rescue and what is that?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
And so that your aha moment didn't take place when
you got back stateside, it happened right there on that
concrete floor.
Speaker 4 (06:52):
That's that's pretty powerful.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
Yeah, absolutely, it was that moment that made me realize
that there is a huge gap for four programs for
survivors after they step out of trafficking and you know,
coming back home, it just became real that this is
happening in our backyard. And after that trip by, Yeah,
I think things just open up and the world comes
(07:15):
to you once your heart is broken for something. And
we just were getting a front row seat to watch
and listen to stories that were happening right here in
Montana and how it was a gap here.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, I think it's it might be human nature to
want to glance away from things that you don't want
to hear about, that are that are horrible like this,
And so I can see people saying, well, you know, Brittany,
that was isis that was a rock? You know, but
this is Billings or Tucson or Sheboygan. It's it's not no,
it's not happening here, but it really is. And when
(07:48):
we come back after the break, I want Stacey or
she would to just maybe share some of the statistics
with us, because I really honestly believe your average person
out there would be absolutely shocked.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
How bad it is now.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
I'm you know, I'm based out of We're fifty miles
in north of the Mexican border, so we've got a
higher than usual you know, issue with that with the
traffic coming across the border. But I think a lot
of people don't and we'll talk a little bit about
this too. I think it's so important to teach people
to recognize this, you know, Britain. As I told you before,
(08:22):
for ten years I volunteered with a group called Stand
Up for Kids and we worked with homeless teens and
street kids.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
And the thing about them.
Speaker 2 (08:29):
Is, because they're under age of eighteen, they don't want
to be found, they don't want to be set. You know,
it's horrible as it sounds. Living on the streets and
sleeping under a bridge is better than what they ran
away from. So they're very good at disguising them themselves.
Their their status is not very obvious. But if you
know where to look and what you're looking for, you
can find them. And I'm hoping that there you can
(08:51):
maybe share later on in the programs from some tips
for folks out there so that they can become part
of your army, of your team and helping identify these
victims and getting some help. And just so people know,
it's HER's campaign, h g RS campaign dot org. Correct
thing find more about you and your initiative.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
There, Yes, it's actually her just h R campaign dot org.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Okay, just singular h g R and that okay, that
makes sense her HGR.
Speaker 4 (09:21):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
When we come back, Stacey, if you don't mind, I'd
like to chat with a little bit more about you,
how about how you got involved, how your background is
bringing a very powerful aid to the her campaign, and
maybe share some statistics and also you know, kind of
what you've seen on the ground with the connection between
you know, very often drug trafficking and human trafficking. Ladies
and gentlemen. There's your host, Ben biler Garcia. Don't forget.
(09:43):
You can find over six hundred podcasts at American Warrior
Radio dot com. Please listen and share these important stories.
We'll be back with more about the Her campaign in
just a few minutes.
Speaker 4 (10:11):
This is your host, Ben deler Garcia.
Speaker 2 (10:13):
We're talking with Britney Higgs and Stacy's in about the
her campaign HTR campaign. You can learn more hr campaign
dot org.
Speaker 4 (10:22):
Stacy.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
In the introduction, I talked a little bit about your background,
your extensive experience, very impressive stuff, you know, particularly your deployments.
I was reading an article about you and when you
were working down in Al Paso helping to stop the
cartel and drug traffic down there for the DEA you had,
a hit was put out on you. So somebody, in
(10:43):
their infinite wisdom, I guess, decided to send you to Afghanistan.
Speaker 4 (10:45):
What was safer? Huh?
Speaker 6 (10:46):
Well, well that was a little bit of a combination,
and you know, you had the cartel coming at you
at one end, and so I was like, okay, well
I did raise my hand for to support our first
deployment over to Afghanistan of going after the narco t
that was making heroin and sending it out to the
foreign countries. So it was kind of a it was
a it is a joint venture.
Speaker 4 (11:08):
Stacy.
Speaker 2 (11:09):
I went to a website and I want folks to
also check out. It's called I Am on watch dot org,
a very powerful website shocking numbers about the tens of thousands,
the hundreds of thousands of people that are victims of
trafficking right here in the United States of America. And
I want to also clarify that it's not most people
(11:30):
probably think about sex trafficking, but it's also labor trafficking.
It's also people that are being trafficked to be involved
in criminal enterprises. So there's lots of levels of this.
But how I mean from your perspective, Stacy, how how
bad is this and is it getting worse?
Speaker 6 (11:46):
Well, to be very very honest, it's pretty bad. And
what I mean by that is with the our border
being open, individuals that have crossed over, millions and millions
of people, children, young females that have crossed over a
border and disappeared into United States. We don't know exactly
(12:08):
how bad it is, but if you look at numbers
back in you know, with twenty twenty with it what
the FBI was porting, you know, they record over over
two thousand trafficking incidents. That is going to be on
the very very low end, very low end. United States
is well known for trafficking individuals. Individuals are trying to
(12:28):
make money within the United States. But when I was
in the foreign arena, I would see it in South America.
But we'd see individuals from from North America coming down
to South America and participating in these activities of sex trafficking.
Now I believe it's probably reversed to a certain degree
because of our recent open borders, and we just don't
(12:48):
have a pulse on it yet. We will in a
short period of time, but we just don't know the
numbers at this time.
Speaker 2 (12:56):
Well, in those incidences, I assume many of them are
involved more than one individual, right, so the actual numbers
of victims are significantly higher. I mean, I've seen everything
from you know, one hundred thousand a year, and I
think the last website I visited, let's see what that was,
the National Human Trafficking Hotline. They received thirty two, three
(13:17):
hundred and nine calls last year alone.
Speaker 6 (13:20):
Well, I mean you look at you know, the dates
between the dates two thousand and seven and twenty twenty five,
you know, there was at least one hundred and fifteen
thousand trafficking situations. But I really believe it's still reported
on the It's on the lower end because this is
not something that's in your face. This is something that
law enforcement will uncover after the fact. If I'm going
(13:41):
into to do a rate on a house, it's a
we're going in for drugs. We will see activities, but
we DEA doesn't. We We reported, but we actually handed
all over to other agencies. So the reporting is going
to be somewhat skew.
Speaker 3 (13:58):
But again, this is.
Speaker 6 (13:59):
A criminal activity that no one's raising their hand and
going hey, hey, you know this is happening right here
in your face, So we don't know how many the
numbers of victims that we have. And also the victims
are not picking up the phone each and every time saying, hey,
I was traffic last night.
Speaker 4 (14:15):
I saw some data Stacey. The average.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
Age of a traffic victim is twelve years old. That's
just unconsfortable and maybe that's why people don't want to
see it because it's so horrible.
Speaker 6 (14:29):
Well, and it's not reported in the media like it
should be. Whenever there's operations that take place, we try
to protect the victims, and especially if they're underage, so
there's gonna be a little bit of whispers, So get
that kind of a splash, but then it goes away
because people don't want to really talk about it. It's like,
not in my neighborhood. This is not happening in my community. Yes,
(14:50):
it doesn't matter of the statue, where you live, the income.
It is happening across the United States, and people would surprised.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
The explained to us real briefly that the connection between
drug traffic and human trafficking. Is it just another profit
motive or is it because they've already got the infrastructure
in place. If I'm smuggling drugs, I might as well
be smuggling humans.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
All the above, All the above.
Speaker 6 (15:18):
I mean you look at let's let's pick out the
cartels for example, the cartels, you know they're there, they're
there to make money. They are a enterprise, thinkative as
a corporation, there to make billions, and at one time
drugs was their top revenue, making a venture. Then when
the border opened up, they saw, hey, we can make
(15:39):
a lot of money off the human trafficking and smuggling.
And you see these activities taking place. You look at
the Narco terrorists that have re routed themselves from the
Middle East and shifted down to South America. Again, they're
looking at how they can exploit victims in order to
make moneies to continuous continue their nefarious acts. So, yes,
(16:00):
it's paullie, it's it's polly venture. But and it's not
one shoe fits.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
All, Okay, And I tell you one of the other
shocking figures I found was I think it says something
like eighty or from sorry, forty percent of the traffickers
are not cartels, They're not the boogeyman you would expect.
It's family members who are doing this to their own family.
Speaker 6 (16:23):
We do see that in different vulnerable communities. And again
that's something that's that right there is not really discussed,
but you do see family members, you know, close in,
close out.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
We see it.
Speaker 6 (16:36):
We see it in law We saw it in law enforcement.
And it breaks my heart because this is something you know,
we need to start having those honest communications. If you
see something, say something we need to talk about, but
we also need to convey it's okay to talk about it.
And then this is where the her campaign comes in.
They're there to support and help educate and help these
(16:59):
victims move forward in life. So it's say it's a
project that that needs more focused and needs to be highlighted.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
There's clearly not enough resources out there, and uh, you know,
Brittany knows that. That's why she started this, this her campaign.
But I'm curious from your perspective, Stacey is a former
federal a retired federal agent. How how well equipped, how
well informed are the local law enforcement agencies to deal
(17:28):
with this problem?
Speaker 6 (17:30):
It depends on their mission so your your local law
enforcement and rural areas have This is something that they
do not particularly hone in on because they have to
do they there's so few of them in an area
that they have to you know, traffic stops, to writing
tickets to a criminal, petty crime, domestic, you know, et cetera,
(17:52):
et cetera. So they are not immediately focused on it.
So they need the education. You have the Federal Agencies
Drug Enforcement Stration, even though that we do report if
we see that type of crime. We're focused on Title
twenty one money lawn during drug trafficking. But your HSI
and your FBI, they are skilled. They are the ones
(18:12):
that will bring these crimes to be adjudicated. So but
again it's educating our state police and our local law
enforcement because we need all eyes on this. And Montana
and other states, you know, they have a fast amount
of land. These nefarious people have a way of being
(18:33):
able to go into areas where there's not a law
law law enforcement, and that is a problem.
Speaker 4 (18:38):
Okay, ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
As your host, Ben Deila Garcia, you're listening to American
Warrior Radio. We'll be back with more of this very
very powerful subject with Brittany and Station stick around. Welcome
(19:11):
back to American Warrior Radio. Laser gentlemen, there's your host,
Ben buler Garcia. We're coming to you from the Silencer
Central Studios. Silencer Central is the largest silencer dealer in
the world that for a limited time, they will even
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(19:33):
They'll complete all the paperwork for you and ship right
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you need it, making salad simple. Since two thousand and
five Silencercentral dot com. We're back with Brittany Higgs and
Stacy's in. We're talking about her campaign. You can find
out more hr campaign dot org. Well, first put you
on my radar of all things, was a goat, And
(19:56):
I'm not talking like a goat, like you're the NBA
All Star goat, a little balancy, fluffy goat tell us
about freedom.
Speaker 5 (20:04):
Yeah, So this summer we are doing a challenge in
our organization that it's a fundraiser and it's to raise
up our nation to come alongside of survivors of human
trafficking to provide more gaps as we're seeing in our
nation for aftercare. And so we are walking five hundred
and eighty miles from our two current locations in Billings, Montana,
(20:26):
to Denver, Colorado. And as we were thinking about this,
we're like, you know what is going to grab people's
attention and really bring them into this important work and
raise up a nationwide movement. And we said, what better
than a baby goat? So we have trained a baby
goat to walk with us on this five hundred and
(20:48):
eighty mile journey.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
And and I'll on the labside, I'll post a picture
of freedom. But little bitty legs, how is how's freedom
going to keep up?
Speaker 4 (20:59):
Is free them here? Or she?
Speaker 3 (21:02):
It's a she?
Speaker 5 (21:02):
And you know what, great question. We are taking good
care of freedom to goat. She is living her best life.
She is going to be walking a few miles with
us a day, just the allotted time that a baby
goat can handle. She also has a chariot, which is
a jogging stroller that she'll be writing in and then
the support crew is in an RV, so she's going
to be hanging out r V parks, living her best
(21:25):
life and then walking a little bit here and there
with us.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
Okay, Well that that answered my next question. I mean,
that's from Billings to Denver. There's some lot of wide
open space there, so you're not you're not going to
be living off the land with tips of those your
special Forces buddies, tatcha. You've got a support team right that,
like a chase car and an RV and a special
Goat mobile that's going to be yeah, tagging along for sure.
Speaker 3 (21:49):
For sure.
Speaker 5 (21:50):
I mean I'm still using some of the things that
I've been taught that have been passed down for sure,
because I am walking alone for the majority of it.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
But we will have a support crew in rate.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
You actually chose this route for a reason, and explain
to our listeners why.
Speaker 5 (22:07):
You know, the interstates between Billings and Denver are one
of the high traffic areas for transportation of trafficking victims.
And you know, Montana has been known as a truck
stop state, meaning that as you know, people are transporting
and going to different urban areas where there's conventions, events
(22:27):
where there's lots of people, there's going to be trafficking.
Billings is a hub and a stopping place in between
these urban areas, and so I think it's incredibly significant
that we are walking this ground and really taking that ground,
saying like, hey, we are taking a stance against this
issue and it's not going to happen not going to
(22:48):
happen in our routes. And so that's that's a huge
reason why we chose to walk from Billings to Denver.
Speaker 4 (22:55):
Again, I was doing.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Some research prepping for the show. I found a website
that listed those a national and I listed the the
physical locations, for lack of a better phrase, where some
of these victims are trafficked or employed that's not the
right word, but and truck stops was definitely on that list.
Speaker 4 (23:13):
So I also began coainted with the group.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
I never heard her before, but there's a Truckers against
Trafficking group out there too.
Speaker 5 (23:20):
Yeah you work with them, Yes, yeah, they're awesome, But yeah,
to your point, I mean, we had a situation last
year where there was a sixteen year old local to Billings,
Montana that went to a truck stop, was waiting for
a friend when a trucker who was trafficking ended up
picking your up saying, hey, you know your friend's taking
(23:42):
too long.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
I'll I'll take you to her house.
Speaker 5 (23:45):
She ended up being trafficked around the nation for a
few months before she was flown back to the States.
And so are flown back to Montana. And so it
does happen, Stacey.
Speaker 2 (23:56):
I'm curious reminding who has got the principal authority for this,
whose job is trafficking?
Speaker 4 (24:04):
And because when when I hear Brittany.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Talking about the road as well, you know that's principally
going to be the local or you know, the state
highway patrol or you know, maybe I want to hope
I misheard you, Stacey. But who at the federal level,
whose job is this principally?
Speaker 6 (24:18):
Well, you see onikes, for example, the FBI has that
title where they they conduct these type of investigations. HSI
under DHS also does these type of investigations on the
Indian reservations. You see more of FBI go in onto
the reservations and assist there through and they have alsoess
(24:40):
uh witness counselors that help guide them and are able
to work with that community.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
And that's another issue on to bring to people's attention.
That's huge that a lot of people don't know about.
Is at least you know, the number of Native Americans
on the reservations or in our community that you disappear
or probably you know, kidnapped, don't if they're trafficked or not.
But that's that's a big number as well. And you're right,
I guess a lot of us just think about the
border and that's you know, DHS Homeland Security. But once
(25:11):
they're in the country, I know they have authority to
do that anywhere. But okay, I just I wanted to
get that. Got that straightened out, Brittany, how long you know,
at a pace where freedom can keep up, how long
do you anticipate being on the road to get from
Billings to Denver.
Speaker 5 (25:30):
It's going to be about a thirty five day challenge,
and that's walking about twenty miles a day, so it's
going to be a long stint.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
And ladies and gentlemen, if you'd like to participate, if
you'd like to support this. They're looking to raise one
thousand dollars per mile. So I don't do math in public,
but I think that comes out to about five hundred
and eighty thousand dollars. And also people can can check
your route and check in on you right if they
want to meet you, if they're in that area, they
want to meet you a long route and give you
(26:00):
an at a boy or handy a check right then
and there, or maybe frankly, I don't want to have
a photo with Freedom.
Speaker 4 (26:07):
That's just me.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
But you know, only ten dollars for photo, folks, I'll
go so good cause I just made that up there.
But so folks go to her campaign hgr campaign dot org.
You can track Britney's progress and then you know, kind
of see where they are and arrange to meet them.
I think that'd be really, really a really good thing
for folks in that area to do.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
Absolutely, please come and join the movement with us, walk
a day with us. We have strategic marks across the
route between Montana and Wyoming, Denver, Colorado, where we are
we are meeting and doing community events. So follow us
and keep up to date and come join us.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Okay, and again, ladies and gentlemen, that's her campaign dot
org and I've gotten also check out the national I
want to announce this the National Human Trafficking hotline. Write
this down, lads and gentlemen. I'll put it in the
on the post our website. But that hotline is eight
eight eight three seven three seven eight eight eight of
(27:06):
the victims that your organization works with, Station Brittany. How
many of those are? What are your referral points? I mean,
how are they coming into your system? How are you
being made aware of them?
Speaker 5 (27:19):
Yeah, So multiple different areas that we get referrals from.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
We work with referral agencies across the nation.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
So a couple of those is Rescue America in safe
house projects, first responsors, first responders and law enforcement officials.
We work closely with them to build those partnerships. A huge,
a huge thing that we try to do too, is
bridge the gap between law enforcement and survivors. There is
a disconnect because survivors, you know, are meant to taught
(27:48):
to distrust distrust law enforcement, and so part of what
we do is try to build that gap so that
hopefully testimony can lead to prosecution, but we want them
to get healed safe, you know, in a place they're
ready to testify in those cases and bridge that gap
with law enforcement. But then we have survivors that call
us directly that reach out and we work with other organizations.
(28:11):
There are some amazing organizations that we partner with that
are on the front lines.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
E three ranch is one of those.
Speaker 5 (28:17):
And so again a team of former special ops guys
and MBLA baseball players that have rallied together to be
deputized across the nation by different law enforcement officials to
go in and help rescue these women. And we are
one of the places they call when they need immediate
placement for some of these women that are getting rescued.
Speaker 4 (28:36):
Outstanding ladies and John.
Speaker 2 (28:37):
When we come back, we're going to talk with both
station and Brittany about how you can be deputized to
this very very important campaign and help them out. This
is your host, Spinnabula Garce will be right back. Welcome
(29:08):
back to America Warrior Radio. Ladies and gentlemen. This your host,
Ben Biler Garcia. We're talking with Britney Higgs and Stacy's
in about her campaign HR campaign. You can find out
more HR campaign dot org one of the websites I
cided here I am on watch dot org. They've got
some training there on the website that people can take.
(29:31):
I assume both of you would highly encourage people to
know what to look for, what the indicators might be, because,
as you mentioned, some of these folks they don't want
to be doing this obviously, but there's also a huge
fear factor involved.
Speaker 5 (29:46):
Right Absolutely, tools like I am on watch It is
a free resource for anybody to learn how to spot
and report human trafficking where you work, play and enjoy life,
and so I think it's so important for anybody and
everybody to get on there that resource in particular, two
is actual survivor stories and so we get an inside
(30:07):
perspective of what trafficking looks like in multifaceted ways across
our nation. And so getting educated and like Stacey said earlier,
being able to spot and report it is so important.
Speaker 2 (30:20):
So just to clarify your organization, Brittany, do you work
just with victims who've been sex trafficked or do you work.
Speaker 4 (30:28):
With all folks?
Speaker 3 (30:30):
Yes, we work with just women that are sex trafficked.
Speaker 4 (30:34):
Stacy.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
I want to point this outcause I think a lot
of people, unless there's a big rate or something, a
lot of people overlook this. I found some data on
the labor side of trafficking. The top four categories were
domestic work, which I found very interesting. The restaurant, food service, construction,
and agriculture.
Speaker 6 (30:52):
Yes, I know, I keep going back to the open borders,
but unfortunately we're starting to see more the forced labor
in the workforce. Their nail salons. There's several types of
nail salons where you go in and you just have
to look at the I want to give some secrets away,
but you just have to look around and know some
of the signs, and you'll see that these individuals are
being forced to do nails in order to support pay
(31:14):
back their fees for being being smuggled into the country.
Restaurant business, if you if you're freaking a restaurant business
and you start seeing a rotation of waitresses or waiters,
more often than not, just keep your finger on the pulse.
You start seeing them rotating maybe three months, maybe four
months rotation and stuff like that. So, yes, there is
(31:35):
a huge uptick. And when I do I still do
a lot of community events educating people about the dangers
of drugs, et cetera. But I also incorporate that piece
into the conversation because again, if you see a pink
elephant walking down the street, raise your hands, say there's
a pink elephants, I wonder what that's all about.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
Or a goat walking down there, a little one than you. Yeah,
a little baby, little cute cute goat. I did also
found some data stays here are bringing both the average
time for sex trafficking victims, the average time that their
traffic is twelve months and for labors nineteen months, a
little bit longer, and there was data in there in
some cases it could be up to two hundred months.
Speaker 4 (32:16):
It's modern day slavery.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Obviously, Brittany, give us a kind of a reader's die
just summer and I want folks and folks go to
her campaign dot org you can kick some money. They're
looking to raise five hundred and eighty thousand dollars, one
thousand dollars for every mile that Brittany and Freedom walk
down from Billings to Denver. But there's other ways you
can support this. I encourage it.
Speaker 6 (32:36):
Just to you.
Speaker 4 (32:37):
Every dollar counts.
Speaker 2 (32:38):
If you're if your corporation, you can sponsor this, but
give us a kind of reader's dies version of the
services that you actually offer in Billings and Denver.
Speaker 5 (32:48):
Brittany absolutely so with this demographic, as you can imagine,
complex trauma requires a complex program to really come alongside
of these women comprehensively. So our programs start with a
three to five day safehouse that is in partnership with
law enforcement and other first responders that we are just
getting them somewhere safe and having twenty four to seven
(33:09):
trained staff to come alongside of them and give them
time to make an informed decision of what they want
to do for their next step. Everything we do is
about putting power back in their corner right because every
power has been taken away from them. So choice is
so crucial in that early step. Once they're ready and
they've made the choice that I am ready to step
into a recovery treatment center of some sort. We have
(33:32):
an eight week stabilization program that is very clinical in nature,
but we also add functional and integrative health pieces neurofeedback,
IV nutrition. As you can imagine, the body is just
depleted incredibly by the trafficking situation that they've come out of,
so we are looking at their body first, their minds,
(33:52):
and then we also have a faith based spiritual component,
and we think those three pillars are the things that
are really going to help that survivor heal come out
of that trauma mode and then start to be able
to plan and dream for their future. From there, we
help them with life skills, job skills, and helping them
reintegrate back into society.
Speaker 4 (34:10):
And how long have you all been doing this.
Speaker 5 (34:12):
We've been up and going since twenty sixteen when our
first safe host program was found.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
Okay, So any estimate on how successful what percentage of
these victims successfully make that transition?
Speaker 5 (34:25):
Yes, so in our emergency stabilization program, we see eighty
seven percent of our survivors enter and graduate and step
into long term programs, which is phenomenal when it comes
to any sort of residential treatment center.
Speaker 2 (34:38):
Yeah, that's how sounding great numbers, Stacia. I'm just curious,
giving your background, your expertise, how did you and Brittany
come to meet and how did you decide to lend
your considerable skills and knowledge to her campaign.
Speaker 6 (34:50):
Well, I first saw Brittany and her husband Sammy at
church and they stood up as running at first starting off,
and they started to give them the presentation and they
were taking in individuals into their own home, and I
went wow, And so I kind of kind of took
a step back because I was still active with Dea
took a step back and started watching them from afar
(35:12):
and seeing, Okay, how's this going to move forward? And
then also they were coordinating with the state with AG's office,
and they were starting to make some inroads with law enforcement,
and I'm like, you know what I'm going to, you know,
step up and introduce myself. Then we had a third
person that was part of law enforcement and the her campaign,
and she's like.
Speaker 3 (35:33):
You need to meet Brittany.
Speaker 6 (35:34):
So it was kind of like it was a sign,
you know, that first nudge, a second nudge, and the
third nudge, and like, Okay, no, this is this is
something I need to actually get involved in and take
a hard look at.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
Well.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
I certainly can't speak for Brittany and Sammy, but I'm
sure they're very glad that you're there and you're still.
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Engaged one percent. Stacey is an incredible asset.
Speaker 2 (35:56):
So we're getting town to Unfortunately, whenever we have good guests,
we run out of time again, folks, Just a reminder,
the National Human Trafficking Hotline is eight eight eight three
seven three seven eight eight eight.
Speaker 4 (36:07):
Please write that down, put it on your phone.
Speaker 2 (36:09):
And we do have a number of law enforcement folks
that are part of our listener based coast to coast,
So I'd encourage them if you have the resources or
can find the resources, you know, maybe kick this up
the command chain and you encourage your leadership to start
focusing on that and reach out to organizations like the
Her Campaign. I know there's a lot of other nonprofits
(36:29):
out there that are working to address this issue, and
so I encourage you to do that. I just kind
of want to wrap up with both of you. What
what other things can folks do to support you? Clearly
they can make a donation and financially support you're you're
in Freedom's Walk, or just you know, make a general
donation and well, watch a better question, Brittany, the funds
(36:51):
that are raised from this are you looking? Is this
to support existing programs or I know you you use
I can't remember the phrase use, but you want to
make this a race a higher on the national conscience.
And so, like I said, we've got affiliates all across
the country. If someone hearing this says, you know what,
I want to join the team and join the effort.
I want to start up a resource in my community.
(37:12):
Are you available to help them do that? And you know,
for lack of a better term, kind of franchise it
to scale it up nationwide.
Speaker 3 (37:20):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (37:20):
Our greater vision is to take the incredible blueprint that
our teams in Denver and Billings are making to provide
the best excellence in residential care. We want to set
the standards of evidence based practices in the nation for
how we do this. And there is a gap. There's
only about twenty five hundred estimated beds specifically for sex
(37:40):
trafficking survivors across the nation, and so when we're talking
about statistics of one hundred thousand, we don't even know
how many survivors there are yearly. This is such a gap,
and so our goal is to take this blueprint and
expand it across the nation everywhere needed.
Speaker 2 (37:56):
And folks, again, if you see something or you suspect something,
say something, please and don't forget to visit i AM
on watch dot org and check out their training video
so you can become gaining more expertise about how to
identify this problem that is a scourge all across our country.
Quick question, first for you Brittany, second for you Stacey.
Given the numbers and the across the country, if you
(38:16):
had your choice of what would be your next city
that could use a resource like this.
Speaker 5 (38:21):
Yes, we are actually looking at Nashville, Tennessee as our
third location and again as we do landscape assessments and
see what is needed right now, there is no crisis stabilization,
safehouse and emergency program for survivors of human trafficking in
that area, and so that is what we're that's where
we're going next.
Speaker 4 (38:41):
Okay, your vote, Stacy.
Speaker 6 (38:43):
Well, I'm going to say Texas because it is down south.
But when I started bringing awareness to this with my
among my friends, I had a handful of women saying
we need this type of program down here, and so
that just kind of opened up my eyes that not
every community is fortunate to have a her campaign in
their backyard.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Okay, well, ladies and gentlemen, check out her campaign dot org,
hgr campaign dot org. Brittany Stacy, thank you so much
for spending time with our listeners today. And I won't
say luck, but have a great walk. Thanks Ben, thank you,
and kiss freedom on the bean for me.
Speaker 3 (39:18):
We'll deal.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
Are you going, Ladies and gentlemen, another great show in
the books. Don't forget to share these messages with your friends.
Until next time, all policies and procedures are remaining place.
Speaker 4 (39:27):
Take care of.
Speaker 1 (39:35):
You've been listening to American Warrior Radio. Archived episodes may
be found at americanwarriorradio dot com or your favorite podcast
platform
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