Zoeller Providing Training on Human Trafficking
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAs the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 draws near, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller is looking to boost the fight against human trafficking. Zoeller’s office is providing training for law enforcement and members of the tourism industry to recognize and stop human trafficking this week.
The Indiana Attorney General’s Office and the National Attorneys General Training and Research Institute are training law enforcement officers and investigators on identifying and prosecuting human trafficking in Indianapolis Monday and Tuesday. Zoeller’s office will also partner with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Indiana Intelligence Fusion Center and Hamilton County Tourism Inc. Wednesday to train hotels in the central Indiana area to recognize and report signs of trafficking.
Zoeller says sporting events such as the Indy 500 can bring a spike in human trafficking. Law enforcement officers made 18 arrests related to commercial sexual exploitation during the 2015 NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis. Zoeller’s office says the average age of children who are first exploited is between 12 and 14.
"As long as there is demand for commercial sex, traffickers will continue to illegally and ruthlessly exploit children," said Zoeller. "These networks have gotten more sophisticated and new technologies allow them to operate largely undetected, but there are red flags and warning signs that can alert people to these crimes. Law enforcement will be on guard, but members of the public – particularly those in the tourism industry who may see signs of these crimes – can also play a critical role in spotting this activity and getting victims help."
You can find more information from Zoeller’s office about human trafficking by clicking here. You can also click here for a list of red flags of human trafficking.