The Reality of Human Trafficking

One of the fastest and largest growing crimes in the U.S. is human trafficking. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, "Human trafficking involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender, or nationality. Traffickers might use violence, manipulation, or false promises of well-paying jobs or romantic relationships to lure victims into trafficking situations.” This crime is happening in communities across the nation. Communities need to take a stand and educate themselves on human trafficking and learn how all of our efforts can make a difference. There are many resources out there that have information to help fight against this growing crime.

The US Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT) is a leader in the global fight to eradicate human sex trafficking and intends to eliminate human sex trafficking in the United States through prevention, combating demand, the rescue of victims, and providing safe refuge for the restoration of survivors.

A Community-Wide Strategy to Fight Against Human Sex Trafficking

USIAHT’s flagship demand reduction program,TraffickingFreeZoneTM, is a community-based initiative to reduce the number of buyers, whose continuous financial investments create an illicit market for traffickers to exploit young victims. TheTraffickingFree Zone program is implemented in collaboration with community members and leaders, law enforcement, businesses, schools, health care organizations, churches and the media, all while using technology to reach buyers and victims on a massive scale. The program helps communities come together to arrest and prosecute sex buyers instead of the victims who are being sold, educates people on sex trafficking, and uses technology and research to reduce demand.

Community-by-community the TFZ program is implemented with the focus on arresting and prosecuting sex buyers instead of the victims who are being sold, educating people on sex trafficking, connecting the community with victim and buyer services, as well as implementing numerous other demand reduction techniques. Using the principles outlined in the TFZ program, communities can expect to see a significant decline in demand.

To create a "Traffic Free Zone" there are three steps: #1 is to get educated by doing a training offered on the USIAH website. #2 is to get enraged by issuing a proclamation declaring your business, or institution a "Traffic Free Zone." #3 is to get engaged and this is being done by our annual "Anti-Human Trafficking Symposium."

The Gender Resource Center launched a training program on campus through: https://usiaht.org/training/. This training is free and can be completed easily by anyone interested in expanding their knowledge on human trafficking. Once the training is completed a certificate is provided.
In January 2020, President Satterlee signed a proclamation declaring Idaho State University a "Traffic Free Zone."
On January 24, 2023 join us in attending the 4th "Anti-Human Trafficking Symposium."

Anti-Human Trafficking Symposium

Join us on January 24, 2023, in the Wood and Little Wood River Rooms, located in the Pond Student Union, from 10:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M., for the “Anti-Human Trafficking Symposium.” This event is free and open to everyone including: service providers, and community members. Parking will be free in Lot #1, next to the Pond Student Union.

Human trafficking spans across the United States and occurs in every state, including Idaho. There is a network of people that target individuals and can reach victims through a variety of means. The industry is growing in profitability, making human trafficking appealing to many and increasing the number of young people falling victim to traffickers. The symposium will present information on human trafficking.

This event is being hosted by the Gender Resource Center at Idaho State University.

Symposium Schededule 2023

Registration Link:

https://forms.gle/31pVCCANwPyJ2pMZ7

10:00 – 10:15 Welcome

10:15 – 10:45 MOU Signing with Pocatello Police Department, Family Service Alliance and ISU to collaborate to strengthen the response to the crimes of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and human trafficking on campus.

10:45 – 11:00 Break

11:00 – 12:00 Truckers Against Trafficking

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch (On your own)

1:00 – 2:30 Taylor Cook, LCSW, “When Law Enforcement and NGO’s Partner to Combat Human Trafficking.”

2:30 – 3:30 Jennifer Zielinski, Executive Director for Idaho Anti-Trafficking Coalition, “What Do Educators Need to Know About Trafficking?”

3:30 – 3:40 Break

3:40 – 4:50 “Surviving Sex Trafficking” - Film

4:50 – 5:00 Red Sand Project/Closing