FREE screening of ‘Very Young Girls,’ a documentary on human trafficking

In the United States, the average age of entry into the commercial sex industry is 13 years old. If that isn’t shocking enough, there are also incidents of human trafficking right here in Bucks County.

Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) is working with local Girl Scout Hannah Borghi and the County Theater to present a free screening of “Very Young Girls,” a documentary on domestic human trafficking and commercial sex exploitation, on Thursday, May 24, at 5:15pm at the County Theater, 20 East State St. in Doylestown. The public is invited to attend and to stay for light refreshments and a facilitated discussion with local and regional experts.

The 83-minute film was created by the GEMS program, based in New York City. Internationally acclaimed, the film has been seen by more than 3 million viewers and is the first film of its kind to document the realities of the buying and selling of American girls.

Borghi, of Doylestown, a junior at Central Bucks East High School, became interested in the subject of human trafficking after seeing the Hollywood production “Taken” that starred Liam Neeson. As part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, she developed an informational page about human trafficking on the NOVA website, assisted by input from NOVA staff and Jane Kim, Esq., of the Crime Victims Law Project. It is full of statistics and resources that are eye-openers for those who have been unaware of this issue and its proximity to our suburban and rural communities here in Bucks.

“Besides raising awareness that human trafficking isn’t an issue ‘somewhere else’ but also happens right here in Bucks County, we want to make sure that victims have access to resources such as supportive counseling and legal advocacy,” says Julie Dugery, Coordinator of Volunteers and Community Outreach for NOVA.

“I think it is only a matter of time before Bucks County delves into establishing a coalition of district attorneys, law enforcement, health providers, community and faith-based organizations to address awareness and educate others about identifying victims and getting them access to resources.”