FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDKY) – Thursday, activists against child trafficking took to Frankfort to ask lawmakers to help protect Kentucky’s children.

“They can’t speak for themselves, they can’t gather like we can,” said Jenn Cranney, Operation Underground Railroad. “We’re raising awareness to parents to watch your kids’ stuff and don’t let them talk to strangers online.”

Supporters were asked to wear blue as they gathered on the steps of the capitol building to listen to speakers tell their stories and share their experiences.

“Year to year we are investigating 200-250 cases of child trafficking and that’s barely scratching the surface,” Cara Starns, Safe Passage for Children. “We have over 10,000 in foster care, 1-3 runaways are picked up by a trafficker within 48 hours, so the fact that one case is one too much, but we are still barely scratching the surface here.”

Thursday’s event was one of 49 events held around the globe to raise awareness of child trafficking on “World Day Against Trafficking in Persons.‘”

“We’re asking our officials, our schools, our representatives, our law enforcement to do what is really uncomfortable and to take a look into child trafficking,” Starns said.

Event organizers say their goal is to raise awareness and ask lawmakers to do their part in ending child trafficking.