YWCA to present Human Trafficking 101

VW independent/submitted information

The Housing Department of the YWCA of Van Wert County has scheduled a free learning event for Van Wert and surrounding communities. Human Trafficking 101 will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, July 16, in the basement of First United Methodist Church in Van Wert.

YWCA Housing Director Jamie Evans will lead the event and give participants the basic knowledge they need to be in the know about human trafficking in this area and in Ohio.

“In 2017, Ohio was ranked fourth in the nation in human trafficking crimes, which is a very sad statistic,” Evans said. “We are right behind large states like California, Texas, and Florida.

“Trafficking doesn’t happen just in large cities … it can happen right here in our small towns,” Evans added. “We as a community need to be aware of what this crime might look like and the steps we can take to assist victims in getting help and put an end to this crime.”

During the Human Trafficking 101 event, Evans will define the different types of trafficking and then scratch the surface on who the most vulnerable victims are, what traffickers look like, and the tactics they use to lure victims into their dark world. For the final 30 minutes, Evans will field questions from the audience.

“Our goal is to dispel the myths surrounding trafficking and give everyone some real truth and insight to what this might look like in our area,” Evans said.

A dessert smorgasbord will be served during the seminar and it is recommended that participants be age 18 and older to participate, due to the candor of the discussion.

Interested individuals should contact Julie Schaufelberger at the YWCA (julies@ywcavanwertcounty.org) or call 419.238.6639 no later than July 13 to register for this event.

The YWCA is a not-for-profit organization supported by United Way and the Van Wert County Foundation.