Workshop to educate about slavery, human trafficking in Montana
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News from Salish Kootenai College
PABLO — Human trafficking and sexual exploitation of young children is not a story that unfolds solely in faraway countries and dark urban alleys. In fact, it is happening right here in Montana’s rural communities, devastating families and the lives of the children.
Trafficking is particularly rampant in Indian Country where pimps target vulnerable Native American children, teens, and young adults for their “exotic trade value.” The physical and emotional scars endured by trafficking victims are horrific and can last a lifetime.
Salish Kootenai College will join the fight to advocate for trafficking victims and speaking up by bringing the voices of two area advocates to Mission Valley.
On Thursday, Jan. 15, from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. at the SKC Johnny Arlee/Victor Charlo Theater, the SKC Social Work Department will host a workshop that will help participants appreciate the scope of the problem, develop an understanding of who the victims, the traffickers, and the buyers are, identify warning signs of trafficking, and learn how to work with survivors and respond to trafficking in their communities. Additionally, the presenters will clarify myths and facts about human trafficking and explore similarities between trafficking and domestic violence.
The workshop will be led by Katharina Werner, Domestic and Sexual Violence Program Manager at YWCA Missoula, and Detective Guy Baker, a 25-year veteran of the Missoula Police Department.
For the last two years, Werner has focused on developing and presenting trainings on violence against women and sex trafficking in order to spread awareness and educate people. Werner is the Secretary of the Missoula Family Violence Council and a founding member and Chair of the Missoula Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force.
Baker has been an officer assigned to the FBI’s Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force for the last four years, working numerous child sexual exploitation and sex trafficking investigations that have resulted in successful prosecutions in both state and federal court. Baker participated in the FBI’s 2014 Operation Cross Country, an annual law enforcement operation conducted in more than 100 cities across the country targeting sex trafficking offenders and rescuing juvenile victims.
The event is free and open to public. CEU’s are available. Lunch will be provided.
Contact Mary BigBow at mary_bigbow@skc.edu or (406) 275-4888 for more information or to register.
