UPDATE regarding INAHT from Tom Barr
- January will be declared as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month by our Iowa State Govenor on January 13, 2022. Additionally, I would like to do fundraising for the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery to help support their many programs and resources in this fight in Iowa. I will make a commitment of $2 per person donation for every attending person (in person or virtual) at our Rotary Club meetings during the month of January for all 4 meetings. I am asking the Board to consider, at our next Board Meeting, to ‘Match’ those funds as a donation to the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking and Slavery. There will be an opportunity for any other club members to make a personal donation to this fundraising effort. Any donations should be made payable to our Rotary Club of West Liberty and sent to our Treasurer at PO Box 301 West Liberty, IA 52776
- January as Slavery and Human Trafficking Month. In support of our District Governor Alka Khanolkar, the Iowa Network Against Trafficking and Slavery (INAHT), and our Iowa Governor and the State Proclamation on January 13, 2022, Proclaming January as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month,
- You will hear in January of the new Hotel/Motel Training Program, which will be required State and local governments to use only those hotels/motels facilities which have been trained on Human Trafficking.
- More programs are coming in 2022 on fighting Human Trafficking. Tom Strumpel and I are planning a Rotary training forum for West Liberty community in February. I hope this is helpful and our club can support the Fight Against Human Trafficking, not just during the month of January, but all year long.
- Dr. Belitsos’s NAHT Blog post. This speaks to several items that Rotary and the Iowa Network want to share with all of our District #6000 members. https://iowanaht.org/15-year-old-faces-prison-despite-being-victim-of-sex-trafficking/
- Sadly, the Internet supports Pornography, and Pornography supports and promotes Human Trafficking. The Internet is now also a prime source of enticement and recruiting for Human Trafficking victims. See Below:
- A sad story to share at this time of year, but Human Trafficking is ‘calendar blind’. Internet Jobs are not always what they appear to be…..
| World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. On July 30, our club will serve hamburgers and brats in Ron-de-Voo Park to raise awareness and funds for fighting human trafficking. July 30 is World Day Against Trafficking in Persons. Workshift link to google sheet to sign up and help. Shifts are 10:45am-1pm and 3:45pm to 6pm. Hope to see you all there!See https://www.un.org/en/events/humantrafficking/. |
| With the help, hard work and dedication by Tom Barr, ALL RESTAURANTS IN WL have this posted in their restrooms in support of Fighting Human Trafficking |
Rotary Club of West Liberty Efforts for the Fight Against Human Trafficking
The Rotary Club of West Liberty has continued it’s quest to educate our community regarding Modern Day Slavery: HUMAN TRAFFICKING. We began our efforts back in 2017, with an open community forum with other service organizations and local police were present, where Braking Traffik (Division of Family Resources of Davenport, IA), an organization dedicated to bringing an end to Human Trafficking, presented. This resulted in this organization being invited back for additional presentations to our local Christian Youth Group and other service organizations over the next year.
The Rotary Club of West Liberty then sponsored a fundraiser in conjunction with WORLD DAY AGAINST TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS on July 30, 2019, raising $1500 for the Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking (INAHT). The INAHT is Iowa’s first and only volunteer organization devoted exclusively to ending human trafficking in all its forms. Human Trafficking IS modern day slavery where vulnerable people are forced or coerced into involuntary servitude of the purpose of financial profit for Traffickers.
In October 2019, profits from our Pulled Pork BBQ, raised an additional $1300, bringing our total fundraising efforts to $2800 for INAHT!
On January 20, 2020, we achieved a goal of providing Human Trafficking education to our West Liberty Community School District (WLCSD) Faculty and Staff, where approximately 150 attendees, with other service organizations and local police were present. . This was a presentation by Braking Traffik called“Any Kid Anywhere…”, featuring sex trafficking survivors stories which shatters the myth that sex trafficking is just a big city or third world country crime. The presentation was a great success with positive feedback from the WLCSD faculty, as stated by Dr. Diego F. Giraldo, Superintendent, “It is essential to start with awareness and learning how to support our children, families, and community.” Our Club looks forward to continuing to support and educate our community regarding Modern Day Slavery: HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
RESOURCES for the fight against human trafficking.
Chains Interrupted – Iowa Statistics – www.chainsinterrupted.com
Iowa Network Against Human Trafficking – www.iowanaht.org
Iowa State Attorney – www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov
Teens Against Trafficking – https://www.yss.org/program/teens-against-human-trafficking/
Truckers Against Trafficking (T.A.T.) – https://truckersagainsttrafficking.org/
