COLUMBUS — The Ohio Attorney General’s Office opened registration for the fourth annual Human Trafficking Summit to be held in 2023.
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Attorney General Dave Yost and his office will be hosting the event January 26th at the Greater Columbus Convention Center as a part of his Human Trafficking Initiative. The initiative aims to end the “illegal use of vulnerable people to make a profit,” specifically labor and sex trafficking, Yost’s website stated.
“Ohio is becoming a model for tackling human trafficking, but there is plenty of work that still needs to be done,” Yost said.
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The summit serves to continue that work and “fill regional gaps in services,” a spokesperson for his office informed in a news release.
The summit will bring together “survivors, social workers and victim advocates, police officers, lawyers, prosecutors, judges and other community stakeholders to learn how different areas of the state are succeeding in the fight against trafficking,” the spokesperson said.
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The event’s keynote speaker will be Suleman Masood, chair of the 11-member U.S. Advisory Council on Human Trafficking. He is a survivor of domestic labor trafficking and was appointed by the president to advise and make recommendations on federal anti-human trafficking policies.
The summit will also offer 17 workshops, which include the following topics:
- The Impact of Brain Injury on Survivors of Human Trafficking and the Programs That Serve Them
- Why People Solicit Sex
- Utilizing Victim-Centered Approaches in Human Trafficking Cases
- Intersectional and Ethical Practices: Serving Culturally Diverse Populations
- Leveraging States’ Buying Power to Reduce the Demand for Labor Trafficking
Guests can also attend virtually, but will have a limited set of workshops they can participate in.
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Registration will cost $50, whether attending in-person or virtually.
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Eligible attendees will be able to receive up to 4.5 Continuing Education Credits, according to the spokesperson. Credits have been applied for through the Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage and Family Therapist Board, Ohio Nursing Board, and the Supreme Court of Ohio.
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People can register or learn more at the Human Trafficking Summit’s website.