Columbia Police Department joined the Center of Hope and the Maury County Health Department for The Red Sand Project on April 27 in the fight against human trafficking.
As part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, The Red Sand Project is an interactive art exhibition designed to raise awareness of human trafficking. By spreading red sand in sidewalk cracks, the project brings attention to those who have “fallen through the cracks” in society.
About Center of Hope
Center of Hope was founded in 1989 shortly after the Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence determined that there was a need for emergency shelter and counseling for victims of domestic violence in Maury County. Beginning as a grassroots movement in Columbia, Maury County’s largest city, Center of Hope first came about when the Columbia Business and Professional Women’s Association (BPW) teamed together with the Coalition to bring services to local victims of domestic violence. With the help of local volunteers, the BPW donated their time to establish a shelter facility and provide crisis counseling, information and referrals to battered women. As the demand for services increased and the need for a paid organizer became more and more apparent, Center of Hope quickly grew from a hotline and shelter into a comprehensive agency, expanding its services to provide court advocacy and other advocacy services. Over the years, Center of Hope has continued to progress and build upon its resources to include victims of sexual violence and stalking, as well as male victims.
