FSU to host national human trafficking conference Feb. 1-2

Terry Coonan
Terry Coonan, executive director of the Center for the Advancement of Human Rights at FSU.

Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery. Over the past 20 years, human trafficking cases have been reported in every state in the country. Florida is considered one of the top three “destination states” for trafficking within the United States.  

The Florida State University Center for the Advancement of Human Rights will host a two-day conference to address the human trafficking crisis in the country and explore promising practices evolving nationwide to combat this crime and best care for victims.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2, at the Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center.

A preconference training, “Trafficking 101,” will take place at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 31. The introductory session will be conducted for people who want a basic understanding of human trafficking. 

The conference, “Evolving Promising Practices in the U.S. Anti-Trafficking Field,” will bring together leading experts from around the country to discuss what they have learned about combating human trafficking and providing assistance to trafficking victims over the course of the past two decades.

Conference speakers include law enforcement investigators, prosecutors, judges and victim service providers who have emerged as leaders in the U.S. anti-trafficking community. 

The keynote speaker for the conference is Luis CdeBaca, a former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. CdeBaca’s remarks will open the conference at 9:15 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 1. The event also will highlight the leading work that the FSU Center for the Advancement of Human Rights and various FSU graduates have done to combat human trafficking.

The event will be webcast. To watch, visit http://learningforlife.fsu.edu/fsu-cahr-emerging-promising-practices-in-the-anti-trafficking-field-conference/.

Registration for the event is encouraged. To register online, click here.