Over 100 Pasco County Public Transportation Employees to be Trained to Combat Human Trafficking
U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking partners with the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking and Pasco County Public Transportation to equip bus drivers to spot human trafficking
Tampa, Fla., May 16, 2019 – The U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT) is partnering with the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking and Pasco County Public Transportation (PCPT) to train over 100 PCPT employees to identify and report human trafficking scenarios.
“In many ways, we view bus drivers as those on the frontlines to combat human trafficking as they engage with thousands of people a day,” said Geoff Rogers, CEO and co-founder of the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking. “We are thrilled to partner with the Pasco County Public Transportation in strengthening the community and seeking out these vulnerable victims of human trafficking.”
In addition to the training, Pasco County bus drivers will receive information cards with details on signs to look for, the hotline number and protocol to follow if they suspect human trafficking. Each participating bus will have a placard along with victim resource cards for riders to take if they feel they may be a victim. Victim rack cards Based on the average monthly ridership, placards will generate over 60,000 impressions each month.
“I feel so good about our bus operators,” says Kurt Scheible, director of Pasco County Public Transportation. “It’s important for transit employees to be aware of their critical role in combatting human trafficking. They also need to be aware that their employer fully supports them.”
Florida consistently ranks third in the nation for the number of calls made to the National Human Trafficking Hotline.
“We’ve seen a lot of progress in our work to combat trafficking in Pasco County and we are confident that more progress will be made through collaboration with our local bus drivers,” said Stephanie Costolo, Florida regional manager of TraffickingFree Zones at the U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking. “We look forward to working alongside the Pasco County Commission on Human Trafficking and Pasco County Public Transportation in putting an end to human trafficking in this area.”
To learn more about USIAHT and its work to end sex trafficking in the United States, visit https://usiaht.org.
About USIAHT
The U.S. Institute Against Human Trafficking (USIAHT) is a faith-based, non-profit organization fighting human trafficking in America. We work to prevent trafficking by combating demand in new and innovative ways, raising awareness, influencing policy, educating our youth and disrupting trafficking activities. We seek to rescue and rehabilitate victims by collaborating with organizations that are expert at rescuing abducted youth currently engaged in the sex trade. We also collaborate with federal, state and local government officials. With offices in Tampa, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Austin, we are addressing the national problem and also providing on-the-ground services. To learn more, go to https://usiaht.org.
