Linda Smith’s January Series lecture, “Renting Lacy: A Story of America’s Prostituted Children,” is an extension of her dedication to fighting sex trafficking, which was born on a trip she took to India in 1998 while still a U.S. congressperson.

Confronted by the impact of sex trafficking, when she left Congress in 1999, she started Shared Hope International (SHI) as a non-profit to combat sex trafficking . The organization focuses on three ways to alleviate suffering caused by sex trafficking: prevention, restoration of those affected, and justice.

Her talk will specifically focus on the stories of young Americans exploited by the sex trade, which encompasses more than 100,000 children in America each year.

These stories are the result of years of interviews and undercover investigations, and similar work by her and her organization was used for “The National Report on Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking: America’s Prostituted Children,” which was put out by SHI.

In connection to her talk, her film, “Chosen,” was shown in the recital hall Thursday, and she answered questions from the audience.