Senior fashion design students Evelyn Rossol and Anna Honerlaw have been sewing since early September to create a spark in the fight against sex trafficking.

“I have had this plush plush life, and there are girls that are younger than me that are getting sold by their parents,” Rossol said.

“Operation Hope: Freedom is Possible”, a theatrical fashion show written, designed and directed by Rossol and Honerlaw was created to raise awareness for victims of human trafficking.

This event is hosted by International Justice Mission — Kent Campus Chapter (IJM), a global human rights organization that helps save victims of slavery and sexual exploitation.

The event is a reflection of two possibilities for victims.

“It shows one, in a hopeless world without organizations like IJM, and then one in which IJM comes in and says, ‘Hey you don’t have to be here, we are going to help you out of this,’” Rossol said.

Rossol and Honerlaw both wanted to discover a way to educate people about the reality of sexual exploitation.

“It’s sad to me that I was so uninformed this was happening — this is slavery, and nobody knows about it,” Honerlaw said.

Approximately, 24.9 million people are victims of modern day slavery, according to Humanrightsfirst.org.

“I think that the first step before you can help solve a problem is you have to know there is a problem,” Honerlaw said.

The goal of this event is to expose true issues. It will demonstrate the brutal reality of sex trafficking and allow people to open up their eyes and take action.

“The reality that people feel this is there only option,” Rossol said, “and in some cases is there only option, that has to be righted and has to be stopped.”

“Operation Hope: Freedom is Possible” will take place in the Student Center Ballroom, March 9 at 7 p.m. Tickets will be sold in the Student Center for $7 and available at the door for $10.

Ellie Yablonski is the religion reporter. Contact her at [email protected].