Hundreds gathered at Austintown Township Park as part of an effort to reverse high human trafficking rates in the Valley on Saturday.

The Walk for Freedom was created to start a conversation many are working to raise more awareness about.

Mahoning County has seen a persistent and growing problem of human sex trafficking — especially the trafficking of young children. County officials have arrested 20 people on charges of human trafficking since July.

Officials also reported coming across 8,000 children sex trafficking ads in the Youngstown area over the last six months alone.

Advocates say the statistics are staggering and the highway system through the area lends itself to traffickers finding more victims.

"The Mahoning Valley is what's known as the hub, Youngstown is known as the hub,"  said Michala Sakotas, coordinator for The Walk for Freedom. "So you have people from other states coming in for $12 dollars to have sex with a child."

Sakota's family member Amy Bordonaro joined her along with Youngstown Municipal Court Judge Renee Disalvo and advocates from the Human Trafficking Task Force in bringing awareness to the issue and event.

Supporters gathered for the walk which featured live music to raise concerns over trafficking.