Hard talk, Anti-human trafficking events will come to Newcastle
Hard conversations are necessary sometimes, and the discussion about human trafficking scheduled for next week in Newcastle is likely one of those situations for many.
“This is a critical conversation that needs to happen everywhere,” said Justin Scott, who is with the Albany Advisory Council on Trafficking in Laramie, in an Oct. 21 release. “Communities like Newcastle and rural northeast Wyoming are not immune to the realities of trafficking. Through these events, we hope to arm citizens with the tools and knowledge to identify and prevent human trafficking.”
Born and raised in northeast Wyoming, Scott will be one of several presenters featured during a series of Newcastle events scheduled for Nov. 7 and 8.
Newcastle resident Jewel Parrish, the executive director for the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Wyoming and Northeast Human Trafficking Task Force coordinator, said that the biggest thing the public needs to understand is that human trafficking does happen in the area and people need to be prepared to recognize and report it.
“The numbers in Wyoming are low for human trafficking because we are just getting started with looking for it,” Parrish said. “We are just now training people with what to look for, how to report it and what resources are available.”
According to Parrish, human trafficking involves coercion or control to receive a good or commodity — usually labor, drugs or sex — from an individual.
The two-day program, hosted by Weston County Emergency Management and Northeast Human Trafficking Task Force, will feature several training and community events to raise awareness on the topic of human trafficking and exploitation, according to the release.
Uprising, an anti-trafficking nonprofit based in Sheridan, will present the impactful events.
“These events aim to educate, engage, and empower communities on the realities of human trafficking and how everyone has a role to play in combating it,” the release says.
The program, according to the release, will feature “sessions and discussion designed to shed light on how trafficking occurs even in smaller, rural communities.”
Topics will include signs of trafficking, how communities can respond effectively and ways to support survivors. The events, the release says, will be geared toward fostering collaboration between the community, law enforcement personnel, educators and social service providers.
“These events are designed to foster open dialogue and provide actionable solutions. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from survivors, experts in anti-trafficking efforts and regional organizations dedicated to combating exploitation,” Terri Markah, executive director of Uprising, said in the release.
Details on the sessions can be found in the accompanying sidebar.
Anti-human trafficking sessions
Event: AIR Human Trafficking and Exploitation Training
Date: Nov. 7 or 8 (8 hours) 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Newcastle Fire Department, 19 Fairgrounds Road
Who Should Attend: This training is offered twice and is geared for law enforcement, first responders, prosecutors, judges and advocates.
What to Expect: training on the investigation piece of human trafficking
Event: Keeping Kids Safe Online
Date: Nov. 7, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Newcastle High School Auditorium, 111 Casper Ave.
Who Should Attend: All parents, teachers and caregivers
What to Expect: Information on the cyber portion of human trafficking and how to keep kids safe online, in addition to how to recognize human trafficking and abuse.
Event: Human Trafficking Community Update
Date: Nov. 8, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: Church on the Hill, 301 Delaware Ave.
Who Should Attend: Open to all community members
What to Expect: Information on Wyoming-based cases and what is being seen in Wyoming as far as human trafficking goes. Attendees will also learn about what resources are available and what communities can do to recognize and report human trafficking.