Human Trafficking Awareness Day: Nebraska organizations work together to end trafficking
By Aaron Hegarty
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OMAHA, Neb. (KETV) — Innocence Freed Founder and CEO Julie Shrader says she still gets asked this about human trafficking: “Does it really happen in Omaha?”
“It happens everywhere,” she said. “Every day.”
Human trafficking can take many forms, including sex, labor, and even organ trafficking, she said.
The Omaha Police Department says it’s not always clear that it’s a case of trafficking at first glance. Often, it may initially be reported as a domestic disturbance, prostitution, labor dispute, or a frequently missing child, Officer Sarah Martier told KETV.
For the first time, the Nebraska State Capitol was lit in blue on Saturday night to mark human trafficking awareness.
It was part of an event called “Stronger Together,” organized by several Nebraska organizations, initiated by Lincoln-based “I’ve Got A Name.”
“It was the first event that I’ve known of in a long time where one nonprofit called upon all the others and said, can you join us?” Shrader said.
Nonprofits often compete for the same donors and grant money, she said.
Shrader said her and other organizations are focusing on the survivors they support.
A common misconception about trafficking is that it starts with kidnapping, Shrader and Martier said. That’s usually not the case.
“I want you to think somebody who’s close to (someone) who is in the position to take advantage of them,” Martier said. “That’s what you should think about when you think about human trafficking.”
Martier highlighted that especially vulnerable populations include those in poverty, LGBTQ youth, and non-native English speakers. She advised the public to watch for signs such as someone acting fearful or anxious and lacking the freedom to move as they wish.
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