OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) -- Missing, kidnapped, sex trafficked and on the streets of Oakland.
"Families coming forward saying my daughter just got snatched," Oakland Violence Prevention Coalition Chairperson Vanessa Russell said.
"Of the 1,500 missing persons that are total in the city of Oakland, over 400 are Black women," said Oakland City Councilmember Treva Reid. "That is a concerning, troubling number."
That is why a broad coalition of Oakland-based organizations have declared their own state of emergency due to what they say is an increase in Black girls being abducted in the city. Russell says over the past month alone there have been 10 attempted abductions, with three occurring over the past weekend.
"One family, actually, their daughter was snatched, kidnapped on Lakeshore Avenue," Russell said. "Taken by gunpoint by three men in a black Lexus. This is enough. We have to do something."
"I have submitted a request to our city council president with hopes to have this item brought forth," Reid said.
Reid is leading the call for her council colleagues to adopt a resolution in support of a state bill that aims to improve locating Black girls that are missing
"This call of action from the community and this effort that I am lifting up for the city of Oakland to adopt a resolution in support of California Senate Bill 673, which is being led by Senator Bradford," Reid said. "That would establish an ebony alert to help locate missing Black youth and Black women statewide."
Russell is also the executive director of the Love Never Fails organization, which was part of a group of nonprofits who contributed to this list of precautionary safety tips compiled by Nola Brantley Speaks. Among the tips are how to protect yourself from online predators.
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"Be aware of your online presence and don't always believe that people who are trying to connect with you are who they say they are," Russell said. "Definitely not hooking up with strangers when you're online. Let's start addressing the root causes- and we need to start holding the buyers accountable for coming into our city."
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