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Human Trafficking in the News
More than 100 arrested in Montgomery County prostitution, 
human trafficking bust 
Montgomery County Sheriff's deputies made a large human trafficking and prostitution bust last month, netting more than 100 arrests. From Oct. 15 to Oct. 30, detectives arrested 75 johns, 11 pimps and 28 prostitutes. They also rescued five victims, including a 16-year-old runaway. Suspects face a variety of charges, including prostitution, aggravated promotion of prostitution, possession of a controlled substance, weapons and narcotics.
 
Minnesota passes legislation to combat human trafficking in hotel industry
Businesses in the Minnesota hotel industry have until the end of the month to train their employees to recognize and prevent sex trafficking. The training is the result of a mandate passed during the 2018 Minnesota legislative session. According to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center nearly 1,500 cases of sex trafficking in hotels and motels involving more than 1,800 victims have been reported in the U.S. since 2007. 
 
Combating human trafficking with school bus drivers
At the NASDPTS Annual Conference, human and sex trafficking of students and the role school bus drivers can play to report the crimes was discussed. State directors who were at the well-attended session at the Crown Plaza Downtown, heard details of anti-trafficking efforts in many states, which are now well-underway. Annie Sovcik, program director for Busing on the Lookout, discussed human and sex trafficking on Oct. 28. She reported on nationwide efforts to help school bus drivers, aides and school staff better identify and help students who are being trafficked. 
Pilot Fying J and N2Gives include TAT 
in 2018 charitable giving

In celebration of its 60th anniversary in November, Pilot Flying J (PFJ) donated  $2 million to a variety of charities, including Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT). As one of more than 20 non-profit organization recipients, TAT received $60,000 from the truck stop  chain which has been a TAT partner since 2012.
 
"We are grateful to the millions of guests and thousands of team members who have fueled our business for 60 years," said James A. Haslam II, founder of PFJ. "To celebrate this great achievement, we wanted to say thank you in a meaningful way that honors our history and will make a positive difference in the communities we serve."
 
N2Gives, the giving program for N2 Publishing, gave TAT a check for $75,000 in November as well, as part of a multimillion-dollar donation to 30 nonprofit organizations fighting human trafficking and restoring hope to victims.
 
N2 Publishing is an organization "turning neighborhoods into communities" by partnering with affluent neighborhoods across the country to produce more than 900 private, monthly publications filled with resident-contributed content.
 
"To fight human trafficking, it takes people who are willing to go, but also people who are willing to send," said Duane Hixon, CEO of N2 Publishing. "Everyone can play a part, and as a for-profit business, N2's role is clear: We are going to financially support many of the best organizations that bring hope and justice to those often ignored."

TAT Executive Director Kendis Paris commented, "Both N2Gives and Pilot Flying J are first-time, diamond-level TAT sponsors. We are very excited to strengthen our programs through their generous support and love having organizations, both within the trucking industry, and without, recognize that TAT is a worthy partner."
Pecos coalition build draws diversified audience

TAT Coalition Specialist Esther Goetsch addressed the audience at the Pecos coalition build. 
Held in the heart of Texas oil and gas country, the Pecos coalition build drew an audience composed of one third oil and gas employees, one third law enforcement and government agency employees and one third from the truck stop and trucking industry.
 
The event was sponsored by Apache Corporation and Noble Energy, both of which expressed their commitment to TAT and to addressing this issue in their opening remarks. The Office of the Texas Attorney General provided training and case studies through the human trafficking 101 and law enforcement panel. TAT's coalition build specialist and oil and gas program manager presented targeted action steps for each group represented in the meeting. Survey feedback was positive, and attendees expressed interest on ways to get involved, both professionally and personally. 
 
"Oil and gas intersects massively with trucking, and law enforcement works with both, so builds like this one are effective at enabling people to erase the lines between their industries and look at all the ways they can work together to fight this crime," detailed Esther Goetsch, TAT coalition build specialist.
 
Large groups toured the Freedom Drivers Project on the Apache tour.
In addition to the coalition build, Apache Corporation hosted TAT and the Freedom Drivers Project (FDP) in four of their offices across Texas. Employees at their Houston, San Antonio, Pecos and Midland offices had the opportunity to attend presentations to learn about human trafficking from TAT and local experts in addition to touring the FDP. During these events, employees and company leadership raised their professional and personal awareness of what this crime looks like and how they can combat it. At the four locations, 376 toured the FDP and 273 attended presentations.
 
Ashley Smith, TAT oil and gas program manager, helped Apache employees gain an awareness and understanding of human trafficking on the Apache tour.
Ashley Smith, TAT oil and gas program manager, put the tour in perspective, saying, "This event was significant, because Apache committed to raising awareness of the realities of human trafficking with all their employees across Texas. As we build out the oil and gas program, we look for more and more companies to become similarly invested ... sharing information about human trafficking and providing actions for their employees to take. We appreciate Apache becoming a frontrunner in the industry in this endeavor."
TAT gains new friends through Giving Tuesday campaign


A most appreciative thank you to everyone who donated during the Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) Giving Tuesday Campaign, which ended on Nov. 27. The campaign raised $39,438 for TAT, and also created new friends for TAT, people who gave for the first time.
 
Wayne Watkins was one of those. Not only did he give to TAT during the campaign, but he talked to his two brothers, and they both gave to TAT as well. Watkins commented, "My wife and I have been blessed, and part of being blessed is blessing others. I try to do that, and I like what TAT does, because it's helping the most vulnerable in the world."
 
Kendis Paris, TAT executive director, said, "In seeking to scale TAT's work, diversifying our funding streams is imperative. We are so thankful for our corporate partners, and private donors, both new and old, who put their money behind this work and enable us to deliver on our mission." 
TAT-led law enforcement trainings complete for the year

Tennessee Highway Patrol hosted four TAT law enforcement trainings during 2018.
With a final law enforcement training in Tennessee on Nov. 15, Truckers Against Trafficking concluded its 2018 law enforcement trainings on human trafficking and a victim-centered approach.
 
"The Tennessee Highway Patrol hosted four trainings over the course of 2018 in an effort to train more troopers, to be sure, but also to offer this training to other law enforcement agencies and trucking companies throughout the state," said Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director and one of the main law enforcement trainers. "Their desire from the beginning was to raise awareness and develop relationships between law enforcement and industry to thwart human traffickers in the commission of their crimes. TAT has greatly appreciated the opportunity and the partnership with the THP, and we look forward to any future collaboration with them."
 
In 2018, TAT conducted 18 law enforcement trainings in seven states to 15 agencies, training a total of 742 officers. Since 2016, when TAT formalized its law enforcement trainings, Lanier and a variety of survivor-leaders have trained 1042 law enforcement officers. 
 
In addition to the education of those officers, which has resulted in successful interdiction stops and arrests of human traffickers in several states, the trainings have resulted in: all transit in the state of Oregon being trained with Busing On The Lookout materials; the Iowa MVE model being totally implemented in California; a lead in Tennessee for all school bus drivers to be trained in the next year; and, for one agency, a first-ever human trafficking training.
 
"We have invitations to come back to several of the states to continue to train more officers," added Lanier. "And we have three new states and agencies booked in 2019 so far -- Pennsylvania State Police, Montana DOT and Oklahoma Highway Patrol -- and are in talks with additional states for multiple trainings around their states." 
Upcoming Events

Dec. 4 - New Mexico coalition build, Albuquerque, NM, Esther Goetsch, TAT coalition build specialist, Amber Claire, survivor-advocate, Annie Sovcik, BOTL director, and Ashley Smith, TAT oil and gas program manager, presenting

Dec. 5 - Montana Highway Patrol briefing, Helena, MT, Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director, presenting

Dec. 6-7 - USDOT Advisory Committee on Human Trafficking meeting, Washington, DC, Kendis Paris, TAT executive director, presenting

Dec. 20 - Landstar Annual Holiday Event, St. Augustine, FL, Kylla Lanier, TAT deputy director, presenting
TAT's work is made possible through the generous support of our corporate sponsors, foundation partners and individual donors. Our education, training, legislative engagement, and advocacy efforts would not exist without those who invest in the change that we work towards each day. If you are interested in learning more about how you can provide financial support, please visit our corporate engagement webpage 
or contact Laura Cyrus at 612-888-4828 or lcyrus@truckersagainsttrafficking.org to explore our giving opportunities.
Thank you to our copper level and above individual donors!
Douglas Kegler -  platinum level
Andy and Karin Larsen  - gold level
Bob Paris -  silver level
Lou and Ronda Leeburg - silver level
Scott Perry  - bronze level
Ruby Dineen-Silvestrini  - bronze level
Ryan and Lindsay Bogatie  - bronze level
Mark and Julie Mihevc  - bronze level
Dan and Emily Dykstra - bronze level
Michael Mowat -  copper level
Grayling Klunker - copper level
Anna McCoy -  copper level
George Cravens -  copper level
Mike and Karen Kuykendall - copper level
Dewayne and Becky Jennings  - copper level
Wayne Watkins - copper level
Lindsey England - copper level
Karen Rasmussen - copper lev el
Truckers Against Trafficking 
PO Box 816 | Englewood, CO 80151
tat.truckers@gmail.com

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