Photo: Getty Images
(Des Moines, IA) -- Several state agencies are marking this Saturday, July 30 as World Day Against Human Trafficking. Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is working with the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Iowa Department of Transportation to raise awareness about the issue.
“Eliminating human trafficking in Iowa will require a team effort and I am grateful for all the work the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Department of Transportation do to combat this horrific crime,” Secretary Pate said. “Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery and there is no place for it anywhere. My challenge to Iowans is to learn more, keep your eyes open and report it to law enforcement when you see something suspicious.”
The Iowa Department of Public Safety’s Office to Combat Human Trafficking provides free online training that can be accessed anytime at STOPHTIowa.org. Their certified curriculum is required for any lodging provider that hosts public employees or publicly funded events.
“We appreciate the Secretary of State’s and the Department of Transportation’s efforts to increase awareness,” says Iowa Office to Combat Human Trafficking Special Agent in Charge Chris Callaway. “Our goal is that awareness in the lodging industry and the general public leads to increased reporting. In the last two years, our department has trained and certified nearly 600 lodging properties and more than 17,500 staff to identify human trafficking. With our “See It and Report It” initiative, we’ve created a website that provides an anonymous reporting tool and a hotline to report suspected human trafficking. Tips received are then shared with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners for follow-up.”
Iowa DOT Motor Vehicle Enforcement officers also partner with Truckers Against Trafficking, a national nonprofit with the mission of raising awareness of human trafficking. Their joint efforts in Iowa have become a national model for others to follow. The organization is bringing in an exhibit to this year's Iowa State Fair. Visitors will be able to tour a semi trailer that contains artifacts and stories from human trafficking survivors.
Secretary Pate launched the Iowa Businesses Against Trafficking (IBAT) initiative in January 2022. The Iowa Department of Public Safety oversees the Office to Combat Human Trafficking which provides investigative capabilities, training, resources, and a reporting tool to collect information on suspected trafficking. The Iowa Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Enforcement (MVE) officers interact daily with drivers and take part in special outreach programs to educate them on how to spot signs of human trafficking.