San Diego Magazine

The San Diego Magazine is a national award-winning media company. They covered the topic of Saved in America and the work they are doing to fight back against sex trafficking within San Diego. The piece explains how the group of volunteers came together in the back room of a Miramar gun shop where the volunteers made up of former law enforcement officers and ex-Navy SEALs met up. They are converging with one mission in mind, finding Sara.

Who is Sara?

The group at SIA met to create a plan to find 15-year-old Sara who was from North County. Her family worked hard for 45 days in conjunction with law enforcement and other professionals to find her. Thankfully, Saved in America is now on the scene and is taking over the case. The licensed private investigators who make up the team at SIA are tracking Sara using surveillance footage and reconnaissance work. Group member and volunteer Frank says that everything online is connected through a “daisy change of information.” 

Sara’s Case Isn’t Unique 

The team at SIA was able to track down Sara through various areas and is following up in Santa Monica where she’s been seen. They will track Sara down and then call in the local Santa Monica police to pick her up and take her to safety. However, especially as it relates to SIA clients, Sara’s case is not unique. San Diego has been identified by the FBI as one of the country’s top 13 high-intensity child prostitution areas. In addition, trafficking brings in around $810 million yearly, which is second only after drugs within the underground economy. 

Why Law Enforcement Can’t Stay on Top of the Issue

While law enforcement professionals would like to help find every child, they are underfunded and understaffed. Therefore, they are simply unable to go after every single missing kid. This is especially true when they have seemingly run away on their own. Unfortunately, statistics show that around 60% of all girls who run away will be approached by a trafficker within the first 48 hours. Therefore, time is of the essence. Thankfully, SIA is filling the gap in the system and has been proudly assisting in rescues all across the nation. After the rescue, SIA follows up and ensures that each victim is also given the rehabilitation they need to recover from their traumatic situation.