NAHT Presentation to the Senate Judiciary Committee

On Tuesday, January 19th, NAHT Executive Director Teresa Downing-Matibag co-presented on human trafficking to the Senate Judiciary Committee, alongside Public Safety Commissioner Roxanne Ryan; the Director of the Iowa Office of the Attorney General’s “Operation Detour” anti-trafficking initiative, Michael Ferjak; and the founder and Executive Director of Braking Traffik, former Senator Maggie Tinsman and Cathy OKeeffe, respectively.

Senators Kevin Kinney and Kraig Paulsen organized and hosted this opportunity for us to share our knowledge about human trafficking with the Senate Judiciary Committee and a “standing-room only” room packed with legislators and community leaders, with the goal of advancing our efforts to combat this crime in Iowa. Please send them a thank you email for their dedication to protecting Iowa’s citizens and bringing justice to victims.

The show of support for combatting human sex and labor trafficking was tremendous, during this nearly 2-hour presentation and Q&A session: Commissioner Ryan provided a critical overview of important sex and labor trafficking cases in our state; Mike Ferjak delineated the training our state offices are providing for law enforcement and justice professionals; Cathy OKeeffe and Maggie Tinsman showed Braking Traffik’s documentary Any Kid, Anywhere; and Teresa provided a presentation on Pathways into Prostitution and Sex Trafficking.

Currently, the NAHT is supporting AMP (Achieving Maximum Potential) youth leaders’ proposal to require mandatory reporters to report on the sexual abuse and trafficking of minors age 12 and older, whether such abuse is committed by caretakers or other persons, as follows:

AMP youth request Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Training/Trainer Updates:

  • Mandatory Child Abuse Reporter Training include information on Human Trafficking, so mandatory reporters know what it is and recognize it.
  • Reporting by mandatory reporters of possible cases of sexual abuse or child prostitution for children 12 years and older be “required”, when the abuse was perpetrated by a person who was not a caretaker/person responsible for the care of the child. Current law states that mandatory reporters “may” call this possible abuse in to DHS.

Additional updates on our legislative efforts for the current session will be posted periodically, as we move through this important period. Please keep your eyes open for emails from the NAHT, and be prepared to contact your legislators in support of ending human trafficking!