Today, more than 80% of global shipping involves containers. They're packed with everything from personal storage items in dry containers to heavy machinery on flat rack containers. For business owners shipping products, getting a container from point A to point B requires precise planning and high-level tracking. But that's easier said than done when global supply chains become over-congested, leading to loading time issues and delays.
That's bad news for business owners who are already under a massive amount of stress. The truth is that container storage delays can cripple a business, but there's a viable solution: drayage brokers in Savannah, GA like RelyEx. Drayage companies provide unique solutions to minimize demurrage and help ensure the successful delivery of your freight.
With more than 30 combined years of experience and a solutions-oriented team, RelyEx has quickly become the first choice for streamlined, efficient drayage services. To understand the true value of RelyEx's offerings in the global logistics industry, it helps to understand first what drayage is and why it's used.
If you're a seasoned business owner who uses port drayage to transport your products, you know exactly how important the service can be. But if you were to poll a group of random people, you may get five different definitions of the term "drayage." That begs the question, how is one of the most crucial steps in the supply chain and most vital components of global trade such a confusing concept? When you break it down, it's not too difficult to grasp.
Drayage, by definition, means the transportation of freight from an ocean port to another destination. Today, drayage is also used to describe the process of transporting products and goods over short distances or over "the first mile."
While drayage often means short-distance movements during the supply chain process, it's primarily used in the container shipping space. Drayage loads usually have arrival and departure points in the same city and don't include long-haul, national transportation.
Because a drayage load can mean a few different things, confusion among carriers is common. Many carriers link drayage with going into a port, but that isn't always true. While all drayage loads typically originate from a port of entry, there are often several legs of a drayage journey before a container turns up at its final stop. Legs of a drayage load may include:
You may be thinking, what's so important about drayage? It's such a small step in the container storage transport process. In reality, it's an integral piece needed in the logistics industry and a crucial part of U.S. supply chain management.
To truly understand the importance of drayage, let's use flowers as an example. Most cut flower shipments enter the market from areas in South America until they end up at Dutch auction houses. Once there, wholesalers purchase flowers in bulk and send those products to retail outlets worldwide. Because flowers are perishable, they typically need to be refrigerated and are often shipped in reefer containers. These refrigerated vessels must maintain a certain temp to prevent loss.
Drayage companies like RelyEx allow flower shippers to send their products from Argentinian ports to airports in the Netherlands with peace of mind because their products are protected. The only way to accomplish this feat is with the help of swift, meticulous port drayage services. Drayage companies allow flower shippers to send their products from Argentinian ports to airports in the Netherlands with peace of mind, because their products are protected. The only way to accomplish this feat is with the help of swift, meticulous port drayage services.
If port drayage is compromised, it can cause delays and even fines. You know the packages you get delivered to your front door from apps like Amazon? Without drayage and drayage brokers, one or two-day shipping times wouldn't even be possible.
As a multi-billion-dollar industry in the U.S. alone, it seems like drayage shipping issues shouldn't exist. But the fact is inefficiencies and congestion are still major problems at ports. Whether it's a lack of carriers, absent chassis, or overburdened terminals, delays lead to missed deadlines, lost revenue, and worse.
But anytime challenges exist, so too do innovative solutions.
QUOTE REQUESTRelyEx was created because our founders saw a need in the logistics space for more reliability and efficiency. The reality of the shipping and logistics industry is that it has become very transactional. It's an odd evolution, because most businesses seek a third-party logistics partner that is accessible, transparent, and committed to providing solutions.
As the logistics space continues to grow, it creates newfound expenses and complexities. Clients like ours know that and need a supply chain partner who is genuinely interested in their business. By understanding the needs of our customers and carriers, we can provide the most reliable, effective drayage services possible.
Unlike some drayage companies in Savannah, GA, we begin managing your containers before they ever hit the ports by mapping out the most efficient pathways of delivery. That way, our team can discover the best drayage pathways to expedite delivery time and reduce fees that cut into profits.
Our valued drayage customers choose RelyEx because:
At RelyEx, we like to consider ourselves problem solvers. The nature of the container drayage industry presents new challenges every day, but we're firm believers that there's a solution to every hurdle we encounter. And while some drayage businesses implement a reactive approach, RelyEx customers choose us for our proactive mindset. We take pride in solving your company's drayage challenges to help you avoid frustrating fees, missed expectations, and delayed shipments. We strive to make every transaction successful and streamlined by partnering with shippers who prioritize transparent, prompt, and accurate communication.
RelyEx approaches your business from the customer's perspective - a unique approach that helps us provide high-quality, effective drayage services. We've been in the customers' shoes, know their pain points, and because of that, provide first-hand solutions to stressful supply chain issues. With over 30 years of collective knowledge, our team excels in:
Our varied, high-level drayage shipping experience helps us achieve our overarching goal: expertly managing your freight movement needs. That way, you can direct your time and focus on growing the core aspects of your business while we handle the heavy lifting. Throw in proactive planning to avoid bottleneck situations and strong communication for transparent customer relations, and you can see why so many companies trust RelyEx.
When it comes to shipping logistics, it only takes one mistake by a mediocre worker to disrupt your business. That's why, at RelyEx, we pride ourselves on forming and nurturing relationships with carriers who match our standards of care. Our founding partner started his career transporting freight for companies as an on-demand carrier. He uses that knowledge to maximize the resources of our carriers so that our customer's expectations aren't just met - they're exceeded.
Based in the port city of Savannah, RelyEx has a keen understanding of the challenges of managing the inbound and outbound flow of containers. Our team of container drayage experts provides your business with unique solutions to nuanced shipping problems, minimizing demurrage and ensuring the successful delivery of your freight.
Customers choose RelyEx because:
Some drayage brokers don't care how customers feel about their service as long as they sign a contract and get paid. As a solutions-oriented team, RelyEx takes the opposite approach. We're motivated by the opportunity to overachieve for our customers and to provide them with the best logistics experience possible. With professional experience as carriers and shippers ourselves, we know the roadblocks and challenges you're facing. We excel at mapping out the best plans of action to solve those problems. But that's just the start.
Our tracking experts monitor and manage every aspect of your drayage shipment from booking to delivery, 24/7. Once booked, we look for the availability of your containers hourly once they're at port. When they arrive, our team acts quickly to access your storage containers when they're available.
Plus, RelyEx ensures your company's requirements are met by the carrier during loading and delivery and provide necessary documentation as fast as possible. With real-time tracking updates and access to our customer service professionals, your team has complete visibility throughout the shipping process.
Over the years, RelyEx has built a strong network of drayage carriers, transloading locations, and container storage spaces to provide you with the best possible options to match your drayage service needs. We know that searching for quality service presents an added layer of complexity and stress to our customers. That's why we work hard to take that off your plate by connecting you with our reliable shipping partners.
With a background moving freight as an on-demand carrier, our founding partner understands how to maximize the resources and equipment of our carriers to match your needs.
Like other industries, the global logistics space is complex. Mistakes will be made, and problems will happen. With those truths in mind, RelyEx has built its reputation as problem solvers. Unlike other drayage companies, we don't shy away from this industry's complexities because we take pride in solving problems. Even better, we aim to do what's needed to avoid those problems altogether.
As your logistics partner, we will provide your company with accurate, transparent, and prompt communication. If there are unexpected issues, we'll notify you immediately and will provide several options to remedy the problem. We even offer custom reporting for large clients who need at-the-moment updates and quick access to shipment documentation.
Why let the unpredictability of your industry dictate your success? With a background working in manufacturing, our founders are familiar with the demands of managing production schedules and sales orders. That experience makes it abundantly clear to us that every business and industry is different. If you struggle with seasonal surges or other factors, our team supports your business with a mapped-out plan and schedule, so you stay ahead of the game.
QUOTE REQUESTBased in the port city of Savannah, RelyEx has a keen understanding of the challenges of managing the inbound and outbound flow of containers. Our team of container drayage experts provides your business with unique solutions to nuanced shipping problems, minimizing demurrage and ensuring the successful delivery of your freight.
Demurrage is a charge issued by a port, carrier, or railroad company for storing containers that do not load and unload their cargo promptly. Once the daily limit of free time is exceeded, shippers are charged daily demurrage fees until their cargo is shipped. Though different ports have different policies, charges can range from $75 to $150 per container, per day, for a set number of days. Additional demurrage fees are incurred if a shipper exceeds the port's parameters.
Even when shippers maintain a tight schedule for unloading freight, external factors can play an uncontrollable part. Typically, shipping mistakes caused by human error trigger the most demurrage charges. Some of the most common causes of demurrage include:
Typically, shippers need four specific documents to clear shipments through customs: A Bill of Lading (or BOL), a commercial invoice, a packing list, and an arrival notice. Seasoned drayage brokers like RelyEx are used to preparing these documents, but new shippers tend to miss this step due to inexperience.
If a shipper only pays for part of their shipment, a vessel operator may refuse to release their freight until their bill is fully paid. Payment delays lead to cargo detention at the port of entry, which triggers demurrage charges.
QUOTE REQUESTPaperwork is needed when you're shipping goods with a drayage company. When documents like the Certificate of Origin or Bill of Lading arrive at their destination late, you can expect demurrage fees. RelyEx avoids this situation entirely by being proactive when submitting paperwork.
Additional causes for demurrage fees can include:
At RelyEx, we know first-hand how stressful supply chain problems can be for business owners. Though drayage shipping might seem minor on the surface, it affects every stage of your shipping process. And when inevitable hurdles manifest, RelyEx propels you over the proverbial roadblocks with a proactive mindset and a passion for challenging projects. We believe that all problems have a solution, and our unique vantage point allows us to provide first-hand solutions to customers in a wide array of industries.
When it comes to your business, don't settle for anything less than RelyEx. Contact our office today to learn more about how we make your shipping experience streamlined and stress-free.
As structural engineers continue to try to determine what caused a partial collapse of Savannah's federal courthouse this month, the building's condition is cause for concern, owing to its architectural significance.Little is known about the extent of the damage, aside from it being a roughly 30-square-foot portion of the third floor collapsing onto the second floor, according to the Savannah Fire Department.No one was critically injured, and construction remains halted until engineers deem the building safe....
As structural engineers continue to try to determine what caused a partial collapse of Savannah's federal courthouse this month, the building's condition is cause for concern, owing to its architectural significance.
Little is known about the extent of the damage, aside from it being a roughly 30-square-foot portion of the third floor collapsing onto the second floor, according to the Savannah Fire Department.
No one was critically injured, and construction remains halted until engineers deem the building safe.
(READ MORE: Savannah seeks input on new name for square formerly named after slavery supporter)
Occupying an entire block in the downtown Historic District, the Tomochichi Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse was designed and built in the 1890s in the Second Renaissance Revival style with white marble and elaborate ornamentation.
Savannah College of Art and Design architectural history Chairman Robin B. Williams called the courthouse a "lavish, beautifully crafted building" that is very much a product of its time.
"(It was) a moment in American architectural history when great American self-confidence is right on the heels of the World's Fair in Chicago, where America sort of declared itself on a world map," Williams said. "The white marble is actually related to what came out of that World's Fair in 1893 — what was sometimes referred to as the White City. And so white marble buildings become synonymous with the modern city. Even though it's this old classicism, it would have been seen as a modern building."
(READ MORE: Kemp signs bills aiming to improve school safety, literacy)
A roughly 60,000-square-foot addition was built in 1932, effectively tripling the building's original size. That addition, too, was a product of its time.
"They did it in a way that if it happened today, the federal government would prohibit this kind of expansion," Williams said.
That's because the expansion was designed essentially as a mirror image of the original structure — an approach that runs counter to federal guidelines adopted in 1966 through the National Historic Preservation Act.
(READ MORE: Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel, gardens, rail cars to see $10 million revamp)
"One of the standards is that when you put an addition on a building, it should be distinguishable," Williams said, adding that although the guidelines say that an addition should be compatible with the original structure, its design should be at least somewhat distinctive.
"I love to stand in front of the building with anyone I'm giving a tour to or my students, and say 'Find the seam,'" he said. "It's very subtle. The original corbels — the brackets up in the cornice up at the top — are just slightly different and slightly dirtier than the ones that were on the expanded part. But otherwise, the difference is really difficult to see."
The partial collapse came as a surprise to Williams, as he said that the courthouse was built with high-quality materials.
Rambagh Palace in India Ranked World's No.1Today, Tripadvisor announced the winners of its 2023 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Hotel Awards. In its 21st edition, the awards align with the kickoff of the summer travel season, providing inspiration by revealing the best places to stay in the U.S. and around the world. Tripadvisor analyzed 12 months of review data (January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022) from real travelers covering more than 1.5 million hotels, to determine travelers' highest-rated accommodations of the year. ...
Rambagh Palace in India Ranked World's No.1
Today, Tripadvisor announced the winners of its 2023 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Hotel Awards. In its 21st edition, the awards align with the kickoff of the summer travel season, providing inspiration by revealing the best places to stay in the U.S. and around the world. Tripadvisor analyzed 12 months of review data (January 1, 2022 - December 31, 2022) from real travelers covering more than 1.5 million hotels, to determine travelers' highest-rated accommodations of the year. Discover all the winners and get planning at tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Hotels.
"It's clear that our community ventured far and wide last year: Our 10 winning subcategories encompass 37 regions around the world and include a wide range of amazing places to stay," said Sarah Firshein, Head of Editorial at Tripadvisor. "An opulent palace in Jaipur topped the charts, while hotels ranging from a 'glamping' retreat in Patagonia to a rock 'n' roll–themed boutique in Boston made their mark as well. As our savvy reviewers know, hotels can sometimes be the entire reason for the trip—I'm personally very excited to consult this list as I plot out the next year of vacations with my own family."
Hotel Headlines: 2023 Trends
And the Winners are…This year's No. 1 Hotel in the prestigious Top Hotels category is Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, India. Dubbed "The Jewel of Jaipur," this 1835 palace-turned-luxurious hotel holds unbelievable extravagance. A new No. 1 winner for 2023, Rambagh Palace has over 5,000 five-bubble reviews and is beloved for its polo bar, historic suites, and high tea.
In the U.S., The Perry Lane Hotel in Savannah, Georgia, ranks No. 1 for travelers this year. The luxurious, cosmopolitan hotel provides a rare duality in contemporary design and draws inspiration from the historic city it calls home. Ranking No. 22 in 2022, The Perry Lane rose to the top this year based on glowing traveler reviews highlighting its chic rooftop bar, food and beverage offerings, and warm Southern hospitality, to name a few.
The distinguished Top Hotels list is a diverse ranking with winners from 19 countries around the world. On the U.S. list, 21 different cities are home to a 2023 winner.
Top 10 Hotels in the World
Top 10 Hotels in the U.S.
New for 2023, Tripadvisor reveals the Best Hotels for Sleep, spotlighting the top 10 accommodations around the world where guests have rated sleep most highly in their reviews. For travelers in need of sweet dreams, visit Dromoland Castle Hotel in Ireland, rated No. 1 in the world in this inaugural subcategory, where a serene slumber is almost certain. For those looking to stay closer to home, the U.S. holds two great spots for shut-eye: the Harbor House Inn in Santa Barbara, California, and Graduate Tucson in Tucson, Arizona. The full top 10 is as follows:
A second new subcategory for 2023 also spotlights relaxation: the Best Hotels with Spas. While many hotels aim to induce zen, none succeed quite like The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong, the No. 1 rated Spa Hotel. This is the "highest" hotel in the world, so the views alone are worth visiting the spa on the 116th floor, which redefines the urban spa experience in the city and across Asia. The full top 10 is as follows:
As the hospitality industry continues to rebound, many new hotels have opened their doors, the best of which are recognized in Tripadvisor's Hottest New Hotels for 2023. OBLU SELECT Lobigili in the Maldives secures Tripadvisor's "rookie of the year" status, ranking No. 1 in the world. This 5-star resort exclusively for adults features nature-inspired designs that bring to life a secluded, castaway feel, once again proving wellness is paramount for travelers. In the U.S., San Francisco's design- and art-driven LUMA Hotel takes the crown.
Those looking for more bucket list adventures and Instagram-worthy photo-ops can explore the most Out-of-the-Ordinary Hotels for a stay to remember:
Planning a family getaway can be difficult enough, so let Tripadvisor take some of the pressure off hotel selection. The Best Family-Friendly Hotels hold fun stuff for kids, plus all the perks for parents.
Great hospitality doesn't always mean massive resorts; sometimes the best stays are a cozy bed and breakfast, which is why Tripadvisor awards the Best B&Bs/Inns.
Luxury Hotels recognize places with above-and-beyond hospitality and amenities for days.
Sometimes, Small Hotels make a big impression. Here are travelers' favorite hotels under 30 rooms:
Finally, the Best All-Inclusive Hotels hold everything you could ever need (and more), all in one place.
All the winners, including in different countries and continents, can be seen here.
MethodologyThe 2023 Travelers' Choice Best of the Best Hotel Awards are determined based on the quality and quantity of traveler reviews and ratings posted on Tripadvisor over the 12-month period between January 1 and December 31, 2022, as well as an additional editorial process.
Above: The Beach Boys are headed to SavannahSavannah's music scene is thriving and, whether it's national acts or local bands, there's no shortage of performances in and around the Hostess City.Here's a look at the next several months of concerts and musical events scheduled in Coastal Georgia and the Lowcountry. Legendary singer, songwriter Stevie Nicks to perform at Sav...
Above: The Beach Boys are headed to Savannah
Savannah's music scene is thriving and, whether it's national acts or local bands, there's no shortage of performances in and around the Hostess City.
Here's a look at the next several months of concerts and musical events scheduled in Coastal Georgia and the Lowcountry.
Legendary singer, songwriter Stevie Nicks to perform at Savannah's Enmarket Arena this fall
Did we miss one? Email us at news@wjcl.com.
Check back as more events are added.
MAY
May 2nd: The Book of Mormon, Savannah Civic Center - Tickets
May 3rd: Jill Scott | Who is Jill Scott? Tour, Savannah Civic Center - Tickets
May 4th: Old Dominion, Enmarket Arena - Tickets
May 5th: Daily Bread: Invisible Cinema Tour - Tickets
May 5th: Easily Amused with The Coyotes, The Wormhole - Tickets
May 6th: Surf Curse, Plant Riverside District - Tickets
May 6th: The Rewind Tour with Jeezy, Plies, and Webbie, Enmarket Arena - Tickets
May 7th: VooDoo Soup, Congress Street Social Club - No Purchase Necessary (click here for more info)
May 11th: For King + Country | What Are We Waiting For?: The Tour, Enmarket Arena - Tickets
May 12th: A Tribute to the 3 Kings | Ft. the Eric Culberson Band and Friends, Victory North - Tickets
May 14th: VooDoo Soup, Congress Street Social Club - No Purchase Necessary (click here for more info)
May 14th: Princess Goes, Plant Riverside District - Tickets
May 18th: Sophie B. Hawkins, Plant Riverside District - Tickets
May 19th: Grace Potter, Plant Riverside District - Tickets
May 19th: Auragami, The wormhole - Tickets
May 20th: Street Clothes with Johnny Couch (and a very special disco drag show), Victory North - Tickets
May 21st: VooDoo Soup, Congress Street Social Club - No Purchase Necessary (click here for more info)
May 21st: The Beach Boys, Savannah Civic Center - Tickets
The legendary Beach Boys are headed to Savannah. Here's when tickets go on sale
May. 27th: Super Blue | Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter, Plant Riverside District - Tickets
May 27th: The Gaslighters, The Wormhole - Tickets
May 28th: VooDoo Soup, Congress Street Social Club - No Purchase Necessary (click here for more info)
June 1st: FUTUREBIRDS, Victory North - Tickets
June 2nd: FUTUREBIRDS, Victory North - Tickets
June 3rd: Dead Man's Hand, The Wormhole - Tickets
June 4th: Jonathan Reynolds | My Truth Tour, Savannah Civic Center - Tickets
June 7th: The Talbott rothers, Plant Riverside District - Tickets
June 11th: Adam Ezra Group, Plant Riverside district - Tickets
June 14th: Thurston Howell | A Premiere Yacht Rock Spectacular!, Victory North - Tickets
June 16th: LCO Magnetic Bass, The Wormhole - Tickets
June 16th: Early James, Plant Riverside District - Tickets
June 16th: Early James, Plant Riverside District - Tickets
June 28th: EYEHATEGOD, The Wormhole - Tickets
June 30th: Larry Fleet, Victory North - Tickets
July 6th: The 502's, Victory North - Tickets
July 7th: The Talbott Brothers, Plant Riverside District - Tickets
July 8th: Leanne Morgan: Just Getting Started, Savannah Civic Center - Tickets
July 12th: Lazy Ass Destroyer, Seenloc, Chad Carrier & More, The Wormhole - Tickets
July 18th: Nonpoint, Victory North - Tickets
July 19th: Elevation Nights | Summer Tour, Enmarket Arena - Tickets
July 29th: Spare the Rod, Spoil the Child, Savannah civic Center - Tickets
Aug. 4th: Electric Avenue | The 80's MTV Experience, Victory North - Tickets
Aug. 11th: The Purple Madness | A Tribute to Prince, Victory North - Tickets
Aug. 13th: An Evening with Patti LaBelle, Savannah Civic Center - Tickets
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia will open a four-year campus at the Armstrong campus of Georgia Southern University.The St. Joseph’s/Candler CEO is hoping the new campus will give better access to training for medical students and help with Georgia’s ongoing physician shortage.The site is just down the street from St. Joseph’s Hospital, where CEO Paul Hinchey says third and fourth-year students will team up with nearly 80 physicians.“Our job is to train...
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia will open a four-year campus at the Armstrong campus of Georgia Southern University.
The St. Joseph’s/Candler CEO is hoping the new campus will give better access to training for medical students and help with Georgia’s ongoing physician shortage.
The site is just down the street from St. Joseph’s Hospital, where CEO Paul Hinchey says third and fourth-year students will team up with nearly 80 physicians.
“Our job is to train them and prepare them to go into their residency after they finish their fourth year,” Hinchey said.
On Tuesday, the University System of Georgia approved $1.7 million for renovations at Georgia Southern - Armstrong for the new medical campus. That money coming from Georgia’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget that Governor Brian Kemp signed in Bryan County earlier this month.
State House speaker Jon Burns says that Georgia ranks 40th in the country for the number of active physicians. In a statement, he said, “Increasing opportunities within the University System of Georgia allows Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia to educate and train more students and meets a clear need to make sure our communities receive better health care.”
University officials say the new four-year campus will provide the “full spectrum” of medical education and will allow the school to accept 40 more students a year.
Hinchey says that by studying in Savannah, he hopes prospective doctors will stay in the Hostess City when they’re job ready.
“The probability of them staying here when they graduate and finishing their residency is really high. That’s going to benefit everybody here and all boats are going to rise. We’re kind of molding the future of medical care in the state and that’s why we’re particularly excited,” Hinchey said.
Under this partnership, Georgia Southern will provide tens of thousands of square feet for student instructional spaces. University officials say the renovations needed at Armstrong include the creation of a new anatomy lab.
The new campus at Armstrong is expected to enroll its first students by Fall 2024.
Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - When you hear the words “human trafficking,” you might picture people being kidnapped or taken from public places.But one local organization says that’s not how it usually happens.Tharros Place is an organization in Savannah that helps survivors of human trafficking - specifically, teenagers. The signs of a teenager being trafficked can be subtle, but it’s something people should know to be on the lookout for.Kate Templeton, the outreach coordinator at Tharros Place, says it...
SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - When you hear the words “human trafficking,” you might picture people being kidnapped or taken from public places.
But one local organization says that’s not how it usually happens.
Tharros Place is an organization in Savannah that helps survivors of human trafficking - specifically, teenagers. The signs of a teenager being trafficked can be subtle, but it’s something people should know to be on the lookout for.
Kate Templeton, the outreach coordinator at Tharros Place, says it’s especially important in Chatham County.
“Out of 159 counties, we rank fourth for highest rates of minor victims of human trafficking,” Templeton said.
That could be for a number of reasons. Templeton says one of them being Savannah’s tourism industry.
Templeton says for teenagers, however, online grooming is a particular risk.
“Online recruitment actually increased 22 percent during COVID, and it continues to go up just because everyone’s online. Every student has some type of Instagram, TikTok, or something like that.”
Sometimes, the risk of trafficking doesn’t come from strangers online, but people potential victims know and trust.
“Parents, uncles, you know, aunts, other types of family members trafficking children in their lives for house payments, car payments, drug money, things like that. So it’s kind of a variety of things we’re seeing in Chatham County.”
Templeton adds that sometimes, teenagers are trafficked without their parents even knowing something is wrong. That’s why it’s important, she says, for adults to pay close attention to the kids in their lives.
Some signs to look out for include kids suddenly having expensive phones or clothes with no explanation for where they came from, showing signs of malnourishment or having unexplained injuries.
Another sign could also be an adult speaking on behalf of a child in seemingly inconsequential situations.
If you suspect someone you know it being trafficked, Templeton says it’s important to know what resources are available, including a Georgia specific hotline, 1-866-END-HTGA, by the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Georgia, and, of course, 911.
And if you’re in doubt:
“If you have any concern at all, even if you think it’s a small concern, it’s always best to report.”
According to Tharros Place, Chatham County ranks 4th in the state for highest rates of child victims. That’s why it’s important, they say, to learn about the signs someone you know might be being trafficked.
It’s part of Tharros Place’ ‘Lunch and Learn’ programs. Each week this month, they, along with the Chatham County Juvenile Court, are putting on lunchtime Zoom meetings for people to learn more about human trafficking.
Each week is targeted towards a different group of people. There have already been lunches for people in the tourism industry and healthcare workers.
Kate Templeton says that parents are a very important group that need to be educated about the dangers of human trafficking.
She says Tharros Place has seen cases of teenagers being trafficked, right under their parents’ noses.
But knowing what to look out for, could make all the difference.
“Traffickers really turn to the Internet to find their victims. During COVID, obviously there was an uptick in online recruitment because people weren’t out in the community as much. So we really want to create awareness among the parents that online safety, not sharing personal information online, things like that, are so vital.”
Wednesday’s meeting will take place from noon to 1 p.m. Registration is recommended, but not required.
And, if you want to attend one of these meetings, but you’re not a parent, there is one for the general public a week from Wednesday.
Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.