CALGARY — Sex trafficking was the topic of discussion for a celebrity panel at Cardel Theatre on Friday featuring the producer and star of a film on the subject. 

Hosted by the Universal Women’s Network, the panel was hosted by Conroy Kanter and Patrick Duffy, the producer and star of the film, Trafficked.

Based on the book, Sex Trafficking, Inside the Business of Modern Slavery, Trafficked shares the story of three young girls from the U.S., Nigeria and India who are trafficked to the same brothel in Texas and their dramatic escape.

Duffy and Kanter joined Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett and Monica Kretschmer to talk about the growing issue of sex trafficking and abuse against women.

When Kanter started making the film over four years ago, she had no idea what it would turn into.

“By the end of the movie, it’s a call to action, people see it and get stirred up and start asking ‘what can I do?’” she said.

Duffy, best known for his role as Bobby Ewing on the soap opera Dallas, says his role was a big stretch from the typical “nice guy” characters he’s played in the past, but it’s a key part of the films message.

“The poison of trafficking is not always administered by a typical bad person,” he said.

“Many times, it’s the person next door. It raises the awareness that people need to know, it can be anyone.”

The film Trafficked premiered at the United Nations for more than 400 dignitaries and has now seen multiple screenings across Calgary as part of an initiative to raise awareness.

The week of screenings culminated in an event, With Her, which takes place Friday evening.

Dr. Laura Hambley Lovett says With Her is about educating the public on the warning signs of predators.

“You never think it can happen to your family, but it did happen to ours,” she said.

Hambley Lovett’s nieces, Jasmine Lovett and Aliyah Sanderson, were killed in a double homicide in April 2019.

“We wanted to do something really powerful in their memory to educate and help prevent this from happening in other families,” she said.

Monica Kretschmer, founder of the Universal Women’s Network, says it’s important talk about these issues.

“If we don’t start talking about it, nothing is going to get done,” she said.

More information can be found online.

Information on sex trafficking is also available online, or by calling a 24-hour hotline at 1-833-900-1010.

Trafficked is also available for streaming on Amazon Prime.