Keynote speaker announced for summit

COLUMBUS – Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has announced that Cyntoia Brown-Long, a nationally recognized advocate for criminal justice reform and victims of human trafficking, will be the keynote speaker for the attorney general’s third annual Human Trafficking Summit on Jan. 13, 2022.

Brown-Long, once a victim of human trafficking, is a best selling author and speaker.

“Hearing directly from someone who has lived to tell the horrors and devastating reality of being trafficked speaks to the heart,” Yost said. “Movies have skewed our perspectives on trafficking. The reality is that many victims are trapped due to drug dependency and/or a fear of violence. This reality makes education all the more crucial – so communities can develop the tools necessary to help turn victims into survivors.”

The Human Trafficking Summit, to be held virtually for the second consecutive year due to COVID-19 concerns, will feature 16 workshops offering valuable information and resources for health-care providers, law enforcement, court personnel, advocates, survivors and community members. Much like the workshops and the summit’s targeted audience, the fight against human trafficking is multifaceted.

Among the workshop topics this year are:

• Disrupting Illicit Massage Businesses and Human Trafficking in Ohio.
• The Power of Prevention: Interrupting the Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences.
• Minor Male Victims of Sex Trafficking.
• The 411 on Sex Trafficking and College Campuses.
• Animal Abuse and Interpersonal Violence: A Common Correlation.

Registration for the summit is open and costs $25. To register or learn more, visit www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/Human-Trafficking-Summit.