The event’s purpose is to bridge the communication gap between potential human trafficking interactions at hospitality organizations and law enforcement agencies
Hudson, Ohio June 7, 2022: Etactics, a leading Learning Management System (LMS) provider that is leading the way in human trafficking awareness training for the hospitality industry, announced its first annual Human Trafficking Town Hall for Hospitality and Law Enforcement, Bridging The Gap. The event will feature former U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Director of Human Trafficking Programs, Bill Woolf, former Captain of Special Operations of The Cleveland Metroparks Police Department, Jack Hall, a human trafficking survivor and a panel of non-profit organizations. The event is set to take place from 9 am - 2 pm on June 29, 2022, including a free lunch.
As it stands today, Ohio has the fourth-highest rate of human trafficking in the country according to World Population Review. Meanwhile, 79% of trafficking victims come in contact with hotels or motels.
Etactics has already achieved state-level accreditation for its human trafficking eLearning program across the US in partnership with Mr. Woolf with plans to provide such training to local Ohio organizations. Etactics’ President, Bill Salm, Jr., explained, “There’s no denying that human trafficking exists throughout the state of Ohio. Etactics is honored to host an event that has the potential to save lives.”
Although Ohio does not yet mandate that hospitality employees receive annual training on human trafficking, training workforce members on human trafficking indicators remain one of the best ways to combat it. Reporting human trafficking requires the involvement of law enforcement, but that interaction could intimidate hospitality staff members. Bill Woolf continued, “Every second that a human trafficking victim encounters a working professional in their place of business there is an opportunity for intervention. The hospitality industry is in a unique position to help combat one of the largest criminal enterprises in the world. Traffickers need places to put their victims while being exploited and moved from one location to the next. This townhall will be a great introduction for hospitality employees and law enforcement professionals to better understand trafficker and victim indicators that present themselves at hotel, motel, and lodging facilities.”
The event will also feature 30-year Ohio law enforcement veteran, Jack Hall. Hall stated, “I've work several sexual exploitation cases and have recently been involved with human trafficking cases in my tenure as an officer and police chief, the unfortunate reality is that human trafficking is happening in the Buckeye State’s backyard. One of the most effective ways to combat it is by educating law enforcement officers and hospitality industry employees on the indicators associated with this type of crime.”
The event is free to attend for hospitality organizations and law enforcement agencies. To register visit https://etactics.com/ohio-human-trafficking-seminar.
