Join the Ethics and Compliance Program on Thursday, April 13 for the interactive event Coffee with Compliance: Human Trafficking Panel. Participants will learn how to be aware of the crime of human trafficking and spot the signs, so you can guard against it and report when you see it. The event will include beverages and light refreshment and takes place at Kettle Creek from 1-2:30 p.m., with an option to attend virtually.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, human trafficking “involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act. Every year, millions of men, women, and children are trafficked worldwide – including right here in the United States. It can happen in any community and victims can be any age, race, gender or nationality. Common methods used by traffickers to lure victims into trafficking situations include violence, manipulation, false promises of well-paying jobs and romantic relationships.”
Hosted by Director of Campus Compliance Debi O’Connor with the support of the UCCS Department of Public Safety, the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Office of Institutional Equity, the panel features El Paso country experts on human trafficking sharing their knowledge and tips for spotting signs of it. Along with the discussions on trafficking from the panel members, the event will feature PSA videos, resources for community members and Q&A portions.
The panel consists of Detective Katie McFerran, from Colorado Springs Police Department’s Human Trafficking unit; Sues Hess, Executive Director of Reclaiming Hope, an organization that works with law enforcement across the nation to provide comfort bags for survivors at the time of their recovery and matches trained, accountable mentors with survivors; Lisa Brandt from the Human Trafficking Task Force of Southern Colorado; Anna Kosloski, UCCS Criminal Justice Associate Professor; and Daniella Trujillo, Dean of Students Education Specialist.
“Anyone can experience trafficking in any community, just as anyone can be the victim of any kind of crime,” emphasized Bella Hettich, Director of DEI Strategic Initiatives. “While it can happen to anyone, evidence suggests that people of color and LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience trafficking than other demographic groups. Generational trauma, historic oppression, discrimination, and other societal factors and inequities create community-wide vulnerabilities. Traffickers recognize and take advantage of people who are vulnerable.”
“I’ve worked with traumatized survivors most of my life, having first been exposed to trafficking in 1977 in Amsterdam living in the Red Light district for 11 weeks,” said Hess, Reclaiming Hope Executive Director. “In our work here at Reclaiming Hope, we walk with survivors of sex trafficking locally, as well as provide law enforcement around the nation with Hope Bags, which are used at the point of recovery of survivors. I’ve had trafficking survivors live with me and am an ally for them, having permission from many to speak on their behalf.”
UCCS employees are expected to report any credible information regarding human trafficking incidents to the UCCS Police Department at 719-255-8111, the Office of Institutional Equity at (719) 255-4324 or anonymously through the UCCS Hotline EthicsPoint via phone 800-677-5590. UCCS employees can also call the Global Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or send an email to [email protected].