AATN has had a busy month providing education and awareness. We have organized and participated in several events in local communities to educate people about the dangers of human trafficking and the ways to prevent it. Our team has been working tirelessly to spread awareness and provide training about the impact of human trafficking on individuals and communities. Despite the challenges and obstacles, we remain committed to our mission of ending human trafficking and creating a safer world for everyone.
CEASE | ARIZONA
In April, CEASE had the privilege of presenting a plaque to the City of Tempe for fulfilling the requirements for the CEASE City Designation, a significant achievement in the fight against human trafficking. This designation is granted when 75% or more of municipal staff have received training on how to identify and report human trafficking and engage in retraining on an annual basis. As a result of this commitment, the city is better equipped to save lives by recognizing and addressing human trafficking. Congratulations to Tempe for taking a crucial step towards ensuring their city is a place where no one is bought, sold, or exploited. Additionally, CEASE is proud to announce to the Town of Queen Creek has officially kicked off their CEASE training and are currently working toward their CEASE Designation. For more information, please contact Michelle Rucker at Michelle@AATN.org.
CSI | COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE
CSI has been busy the last month with various activities with our 15 students. We were fortunate to have several speakers come and speak on a variety of topics. We had Stacey Sutherland, Director of TRUST come to speak to the kids about being groomed for sexual exploitation and the dangers of some of the social media sites. Xavier Walker came to talk about working for Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos (NPH). The CSI kids wrote letters to the NPH kids in Honduras and will receive a letter back from their new pen pals. Robert Barnes from R.O.C.K. Foundation Boxing came to instruct the kids on boxing moves and combinations as a wonderful way to exercise.
Overall, CSI has been providing a variety of educational and fun activities for our students. We believe in exposing them to different opportunities and experiences. As we wrap up the school year we look forward to another eventful year. For more information, please contact Shannon Tiffany at Shannon@aatn.org
JUST.MEN ARIZONA
JUST.Men has all of their patrols up and running throughout the state. Currently patrols are happening in Sedona, Tucson, and Phoenix with a second team being started in Phoenix. JUST.MEN Director Nick Lembo was recently interviewed on the Dave Nemo for Show for truckers which airs on XM radio. He was interviewed about men fighting the demand for commercial sex and other issues surrounding demand. His interview will air on May 15th. For more information, please contact Nick Lembo at Nick@aatn.org
SAFE ACTION PROJECT
The Westin Kierland has recently received their safe certification and trained over 75% of their employees to recognize, respond and report human trafficking. This is a significant milestone for the hotel and a positive step towards combatting human trafficking. It is important to note that according to a recent survey of trafficking survivors, 79% of victims reported having contact with hotels during their exploitation. Therefore, it is crucial for hotels to act and educate their employees on how to identify and report suspicious activity. We want to give a special shoutout to Karen Cahn for being a driving force behind the training at Westin Kierland. She has worked tirelessly for 6 months to ensure that almost 800 associates were trained. We must all do our part in recognizing and fighting against human trafficking. Remember, it takes all of us to see something and say something. For more information, please contact Nate Boulter at Nate@aatn.org
From Left to Right: General Manager, Derek Ellis, Director of Public Relations & Marketing Communications, Karen Cahn and AATN’s Program Officer, Nate Boulter.
TRUST
One of the highlights of the month was a forum on human trafficking in Tucson. This event brought together experts, activists, and concerned citizens to discuss the issue and produce solutions. TRUST was proud to be a part of this important conversation and to help shed light on the realities of human trafficking. In addition to the forum, TRUST also participated in Activating Arizona Youth with World Without Exploitation and ASU STIR. These events brought together experts like Peter Qualliotine and Alisa Bernard to discuss fighting the demand for paid sex. TRUST was also active in the community, tabling at Take Back the Night and other events to raise awareness about human trafficking. By providing information and resources to the public, TRUST is helping to educate people about the realities of this issue and what they can do to help. For more information, please contact Stacey Sutherland at Stacey@aatn.org
