There continues to be a lot of anti-trafficking news here in Iowa. Today’s blog post will help keep you up to date. If you have anti-trafficking news, events, trainings, meetings, or resources to share across Iowa, please send to gbelitsos55@gmail.com.
Iowa will become the nation’s first state to require training about human trafficking for its school bus drivers. Once again, the Iowa Department of Transportation and Truckers Against Trafficking are leading the country in the fight to end human trafficking. We also commend the Iowa Department of Education and its school transportation services department for moving this training requirement forward.
Here is the first paragraph of an article from the Iowa Department of Education announcing this training effort and how it came about.
Invisible, right in front of our eyes. Hidden in plain sight every day means Iowa’s school children are vulnerable to the tragic realities of falling victim to human trafficking. This year, in an effort to identify, disrupt, and report human trafficking of Iowa’s youth, every school bus driver in every school district in the state will receive specialized training, enabling drivers to act and help save young lives from such a fate. The 9,000 extra pairs of trained eyes on board are on the lookout and well positioned to impact the lives of students.
Here is a link to this very exciting news article. https://www.educateiowa.gov/article/2018/08/29/school-bus-drivers-train-be-lookout-human-trafficking
The following are a few more links to news and articles that may be of interest to blog subscribers:
- PBS Frontline recently aired a documentary on labor trafficking. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/trafficked-in-america/
- October 20th Freedom Walk. There are walks organized in Pella, Clinton and Cedar Rapids, or you can organize one in your town. https://www.a21.org/content/walk-for-freedom-2018-home/gp2dhc?permcode=gp2dhc
- Coralville, Iowa City pass ordinances targeting human trafficking in massage parlors
- Garden Gate Ranch is hosting a day-long trafficking awareness event in Norwalk (225 North Ave) on 10/20/18. Presenters/topics include:
- Chief David Lorenzen – DOT – The issue in Iowa, law enforcement perspective, Truckers Against Trafficking
- Terry Forliti – Survivor experience, how she’s helping survivors today
- Pastor Christian Shields – Pornography and the brain, gateway impacts, available support
- Ruth Buckels – Personal experiences with adopted daughters
The free event runs from 8:30 – 4:30 with lunch provided. To register, e-mail barbranck@yahoo.com