Utah schools to receive mandatory training to combat human trafficking in the state

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — How educators and children can detect signs of child abuse and human trafficking is a complex issue being addressed by the Utah State Board of Education.

A new law requires the school board to find a company capable of offering this type of training, and it must be ready to start by the next school year.

Groups that fight human trafficking in Utah said there are two ways children are exploited by traffickers: They are either forced into the sex trade or they are forced into imposed labour. They added that reports of human trafficking are increasing in Utah.

When we talk about human trafficking, many imagine the image of a scary stranger kidnapping children. The truth is that most trafficking is carried out by a family member or acquaintance of the victim.

Andrea Sherman, director of human trafficking support at the Asian Association of Utah, said, “We have had cases where a parent was trying to pay their rent and sold their child to their landlord to accommodate this. need. »

Sherman believed that the average person probably wouldn't be able to spot a child being abused or trafficked – however, a teacher could.

“A teacher who knows his students, who can see and understand, 'Oh, this student is usually doing really well in school, and all of a sudden there's a big drop off, or a big change.' Or they start to be absent frequently. The teacher will be able to know things because they know the context and know the vulnerabilities of that student,” Sherman said.

3Strands Global Foundation is a company that provides human trafficking prevention training, and some schools are already using their Protect Utah program.

CEO Ashlie Bryant said the majority of victims don't realize they are being trafficked.

She said: “Being trafficked, they may not even understand. They may have a relationship with someone, perhaps a romantic relationship, and in that relationship they provide money for the relationship to exist.

She said there are some signs teachers could look for.

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“If, for example, you see a lot of girls gathered around one, whether it's a woman or a man, and they don't make eye contact with anyone, they seem scared, shy or obedient, that could be something of a sign,” Bryant said.

Experts said there are three big factors that make a child vulnerable to human trafficking: intergenerational poverty, past trauma and youth.

Sarah Chau, AAU Outreach and Education Coordinator, said, “Utah actually has the youngest population, in terms of median age. So we have a large portion of Utah's population that is young and has increased vulnerability.

She also said predators like to use certain recruitment tactics that adults might be wary of.

“For example, if we're talking about a young person who is really looking for friends and a support system, the trafficker will present themselves as a friend,” she said.

In July, SB 205 takes effect, which requires the Utah Board of Education to choose a company that provides training to detect trafficking. The school board could also provide grants to school districts that want to opt for a replacement.

Senator Kirk Cullimore of Utah Senate District 19 sponsored this bill.

“What we're trying to do is give them tools to notice when some sort of grooming behavior, or something like that, is happening, and then give them the tools to be able to refer it to the appropriate adults,” Cullimore said.

Advocates said the number of calls in Utah to the human trafficking hotline jumped 165% between 2017 and 2019, and most of the children involved were victims before the age 15.

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