NE 82nd &
Sandy

Portland, Oregon sits at the intersection of I-5 & I-84, which puts it at the crossroads of human trafficking between Seattle, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. Prostitution and sex trafficking has existed in Portland since the late 1800’s. In the 1940’s there was a crackdown on prostitution that closed public facing houses of sexual recreation. Thirty years later that work moved to the roadways of North Interstate, Union Ave (what is now MLK Blvd), and NE 82nd, which has been a persistent hub of sex trafficking and prostitution. A21, an organization committed to abolishing slavery everywhere by eradicating human trafficking and raising awareness; defines human trafficking as the exploitation of vulnerable people for their bodies and labor. Men, women, and children can all be victims of exploitation and trafficking. We stand on this corner to proclaim freedom for the captives, renounce the hold of the enemy, and stand in the gap for victimized men, women, and children.