VOLUME 14 | ISSUE 1 | JANUARY 2023

Mother of trafficking victim in Durham says education could have saved her daughter

Idaho State Police to hold anti-human

trafficking training

Human Trafficking: A Look Inside “The Life,” part 1

In many cases, trafficked victims start off feeling safe with those trafficking them. Samantha had met her trafficker at school, and they had mutual friends. "She felt like he cared for her," shared Lynda Harlos, the mother of a trafficking victim. Harlos believes her lack of knowledge on trafficking in the region is why she partially missed the signs.

In its continued efforts to educate and prepare its officers to better handle the issue, Idaho State Police [ISP] is hosting its first-ever human-trafficking training seminar. "It’s definitely something that’s important to us," ISP captain Shawn Staley told EastIdahoNews.com. "We need to get better at stopping human trafficking — we’ve got to."

Human trafficking is a real issue happening across the country, including Wisconsin. However, most people don’t notice it even when it’s happening right in front of them. "It’s one of those things that we know is out there. We know it’s prevalent, but yet, we’re still just scratching the surface of it," said Det. Scott Wieland with the Sheboygan County

Sheriff’s Office.

Providing victim-centered law enforcement trainings, Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) Deputy Director Kylla Lanier and TAT Field Trainer Kelley Alsobrook co-taught three law enforcement training sessions in Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina for members of the North Carolina Highway Patrol and mixed agencies, including local Police Departments and Sheriffs. 99% of attendees said the case studies presented will help them recognize red flags of human trafficking at interdiction and inspection stops. "North Carolina has long been a state where TAT has wanted the opportunity to train law enforcement and forge deeper connections with them and those within the trucking industry,” commented Lanier. “Through the generous donations of six North Carolina

TAT Field Trainer, Kelley Alsobrook, training NC law enforcement

Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director, talks to a North Carolina officer at a break in between law enforcement training sessions

trucking companies and the leadership of Captain Joe Memory of the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, we were able to train 155 officers and 25 industry members in Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte, North Carolina. It was inspiring to see so many officers moved by the training and Kelley’s lived experience and training tips, and we look forward to building on the connections made in the coming years."

After the training, officers committed to visiting transit agencies and trucking companies throughout the state to encourage training on human trafficking. One officer commented, “Thank you for sharing your experiences. The case studies gave the victims a name and not just a number. I appreciate the specific feedback and instructions on how to approach and converse with a victim.” Another officer, reflecting on the presentation given by Alsobrook, said, “Kelley gave a very good presentation. It was a sad story, but she is very resilient and has probably saved hundreds of other women with her story.” 

In the past couple of months, Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) has welcomed three new members to its staff: Sara Sefried, director of strategic partnerships, Claire Smith, Public Sector Engagement program manager, and Maggie Dawson, Freedom Drivers Project specialist.

Sara Sefried, director of strategic partnerships

As director of strategic partnerships, Sefried will build public-private partnerships across North America. Prior to working with TAT, she led statewide anti-trafficking efforts in Illinois for the Statewide Terrorism and Intelligence Center through the Illinois State Police/Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police. Sefried is a relationship builder at heart, with over 20 years of experience implementing and strengthening programs for survivors of interpersonal violence. She is a nationally recognized speaker who educates leaders and organizations about the realities of human trafficking so they can be activated to make real change in their communities. "I have long admired TAT's unwavering dedication and innovative approach to discovering and disrupting human trafficking and am excited to be joining such an amazing team!” 

Smith has been working with TAT since October 2022. Before joining TAT, she received her Law Enforcement Officer Certification in the state of West Virginia in 2019. She worked as a law enforcement officer in Huntington, West Virginia, while studying and researching to receive her master’s degree. Smith graduated with her MA in Sociology with an emphasis in Criminology from Marshall University in 2021. Although she enjoyed working as a law enforcement officer, she had studied and completed research regarding domestic sex trafficking and wanted to use skills from her education and law enforcement career to make a greater difference in educating law enforcement. Smith then accepted a position with the Department of Homeland Security in Charleston, West Virginia, as an Intelligence Analyst specializing in human trafficking intelligence. She has trained hundreds of law enforcement officers in the state of West Virginia to recognize human trafficking within the state and ways to combat this crime while providing appropriate victim services. "I'm excited to have this opportunity to work with TAT because I am working alongside a team of people that feel just as strongly as I do in fighting this crime. We don't have to have discussions on how large this issue is on a domestic level - we all know, and we have the same desire to do our part to abolish it." 

Claire Smith, Public Sector Engagement program manager

Maggie Dawson, Freedom Drivers Project specialist

Dawson joined the TAT team in November 2022 as the Freedom Drivers Project specialist. Maggie graduated from the University of Denver in 2011 with a BA in International Studies, where she focused her coursework on human rights. While earning her master's degree at Salve Regina University in 2014, Dawson wrote her thesis on how cross-sector collaborations can effectively combat child sexual exploitation. Prior to working with TAT, she was a program manager for a children's advocacy organization that served abused and neglected youth, including some victims of human trafficking. “I am excited to see that TAT's work involves such close collaboration with the private sector, and I am looking forward to being part of the force that is exposing and combating

human trafficking.” 

Some "everyday hero" deserves to be named this year's winner of the Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) Harriet Tubman Award presented by Protective Insurance, complete with a $2,500 check and a gala weekend at the Indy500. Is it someone in your company? Is it you? Is it someone you've heard about? Visit TAT's Harriet Tubman Award page for specifics on the nomination process.

TRUCKERS AGAINST TRAFFICKING