Fauquier supervisors proclaim January as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month; FASTA members recognized

The Fauquier County Board of Supervisors placed a proclamation designating January 2026 as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month and naming Jan. 11 as Human Trafficking Awareness Day on its consent agenda at the Jan. 15 meeting.

The proclamation, presented by the board, says the month has been so designated by presidential proclamation since 2010 and describes human trafficking as "a nationwide public health and civil rights crisis" with victims in every community. It lists local partners involved in prevention and survivor support, including the Rotary Club of Warrenton, the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, the Department of Social Services, local schools and community agencies.

Josephine Gilbert, who identified herself as a Scott District resident and representative of FASTA, the local anti-trafficking alliance, thanked the board and partners for community support. "It's really good to be here," Gilbert said, noting the group's origins and volunteer network. Dave Furia, also speaking for the same effort, thanked county leaders and law enforcement: "I'd like to thank our community, our board of supervisors, our sheriff, who has spent countless hours with us helping out, and his detective, Candace Shaw," he said.

Gilbert also used the citizens' time portion of the meeting to thank county and town staff and partners for a rapid response after the senior center closed before Thanksgiving, and announced a vigil for trafficking awareness scheduled for Jan. 21 at 5 p.m. in the courthouse square. She said the reopening location for the senior center is at 18 Court Street and that Encompass will provide senior center operations for Fauquier County and neighboring counties.

The proclamation was presented as part of the consent agenda and carried without separate debate. The board did not take additional action on the proclamation at the Jan. 15 meeting.