Tharros Place, a Savannah-based non-profit for survivors of human trafficking, will host its second annual ‘Cocktails for Courage’ fundraiser at Cohen’s Retreat, an event space on Skidaway Island, on Friday, January 26, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

This fundraiser coincides with the observance of National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, which has been officially recognized in the month of January since 2010.

Established in 2022, Tharros Place provides support and shelter for youth survivors of human trafficking, focusing on girls between the ages of 12-17.

“There’s this misconception out there that this is [only] an international, immigration issue,” said Julie Wade, founder and Executive Director of Tharros Place.

But according to the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia’s Commercial Sexual Exploitation Response (CSEC) Team, Chatham County– as of 2022–ranks 4th in the state for reported cases of minor sex trafficking.

“These are our girls too,” stressed Wade. To support young trafficking survivors, Tharros Place recently opened a residential facility in December 2023 with plans to house up to 12 residents. The residents will receive schooling through SCCPSS’ E-Learning Academy, as well as legal and emotional support from case managers and social workers. “We really wanted to make sure it feels like a home where they can [start to] envision their life post-trafficking,” said Kate Templeton, Outreach Coordinator at Tharros Place.

At Tharros, Templeton is tasked with educating local schools, workplaces, churches, and other organizations on human trafficking and how to spot the signs to look out for in order to help identify possible victims.

“What we’re mostly seeing [in trafficking cases] is children being victimized and traffickers preying on the vulnerabilities of these children,” Templeton said.

Although Tharros Place primarily operates in the Savannah area as of 2024, Templeton emphasized that human trafficking is an issue that everyone should be aware of, even those living outside of Savannah or Chatham County.

“It’s not just happening in the bigger cities, it really is happening everywhere,” said Templeton.

To learn more about Tharros Place or the organization’s ‘Cocktails for Courage’ fundraiser, visit tharrosplace.com or call Tharros Place at (912) 652-6595.

For those in need, the state of Georgia’s human trafficking hotline is 1-866-3634842 (1-866-ENDHTGA).