Megan Johnson with I’ve Got a Name will speak at an event about human and sex trafficking on April 17 at the Seward Civic Center auditorium.
Around 45 high school and middle school students in Nebraska enter the commercial sex trade every year, according to studies from the Women’s Fund of Omaha.
Much of the trafficking happens along the I-80 and I-29 corridors, and it’s why the Seward County Sheriff’s Office is sponsoring a community event to raise awareness.
On April 17, Paul Yates and Megan Johnson of I’ve Got a Name will present information regarding human trafficking and how it affects people and communities.
Yates is the executive director of I’ve Got a Name, a Lincoln-based non-profit victim advocacy group, where Johnson works as street outreach director.
“We want to grow out of Lincoln,” Yates said “We have no template for what we do, but we want to be someone who cares and can be there for them.”
He said he’s working with Seward County Sheriff Mike Vance and authorities in York to raise awareness of human trafficking and how to spot and report it.
Yates wants to connect his organization with resources and organizations in Seward and York counties to build a network.
As street outreach coordinator, Johnson speaks at hotels and jails, where she often connects with current and former human trafficking victims.
During those presentations, she shares her own experience of working as an escort and drug abuse and how she turned her life around.
Along with the community presentation on the 17th, the Seward County Sheriff’s Department will receive specialized training on April 16 as part of state-required in-service training.
“This is the type of training they don’t provide at the academy,” Vance said.
He said he wants to focus on continuing to educate his staff about spotting and what could be a potential case of human trafficking during what might have otherwise been a routine stop.
In the past, Vance said the department has had to go far out of town to receive training on human trafficking, but he is hoping to continue to bring this type of training closer to home.
The presentation will be at the Seward Civic Center auditorium from 7 to 9 p.m. Parental guidance is suggested for middle school students.
To report human trafficking or suspicious activity, contact local law enforcement or call the Nebraska Adult and Child Abuse and Neglect hotline at (800) 652-1999.
