AKAs and Law Enforcement Officers Educate Community on Human Trafficking
By Gladys Murray
Special to the Outlook
The Delta Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. recently hosted the Human Trafficking Seminar II: Still A Serious Matter on April 25.
The event was established to educate the community on the realities of human trafficking. The ladies of AKA collaborated with the North Florida Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement and the Tallahassee Police Department. Presenters included Ralph Bradley of Homeland Security Investigations and Sonya Bush of the Tallahassee Police Department.
Men and women of all ages were in attendance to hear law enforcement experts discuss how human traffickers do not discriminate.
“Victimization is where human trafficking begins,” Bradley said in his presentation. “Not just victimization of women and not just victimization of children—but victimization, period. And when and if we recover a victim, we (usually) have a basket case on our hands.”
Panelists said victims of human trafficking endure severe physical and mental trauma. Therefore, law enforcement officers strive to ensure that equal value is placed on both identifying and rescuing victims as well as prosecuting violators.
Bradley said that because human trafficking is a “hidden” crime, it can only be eradicated by an informed community. Businesses susceptible to human trafficking include massage parlors, modeling studios, and strip clubs, as well as restaurants, domestic service, construction and even nail salons. This is why community involvement is essential in trafficking awareness. It takes every citizen doing their part in knowing what types of behaviors to recognize in order to identify a person that may be a victim of human trafficking, officials said.
“Violators are becoming more and more savvy in disguising and smuggling the individuals they are trafficking. While law enforcement has made effective progress in rescuing victims, there is still a ways to go and more improvements to be made,” Delta Kappa Omega Global Impact Committee Chairwoman Connie Jenkins-Pye said.
